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Clovers get 2-1 revenge victory
CLAYTON – Cloverdale’s softball team was reeling a bit after two losses to Edgewood last week, and needed a pick-me-up.
The Clovers got exactly that on Monday evening, scoring two runs in the top of the seventh inning to erase a 1-0 deficit and ending the game on a double play by throwing out a runner at home in recording a 2-1 victory.
“It was good for us to scratch out a win in a very tough situation,” Cloverdale coach Jim Spencer said. “Alisha Burch is a very, very good pitcher and we’ve struggled against her in the past.”
The Cadets, the defending sectional and Western Indiana Conference champions, eliminated Cloverdale 4-3 in the first round of last year’s sectional tournament.
“We talked [in the seventh inning] about this being the third time through the lineup, to swing the bat and good things will happen,” he added. “We wanted to be aggressive and not just watch her pitch, and we did a good job of that in the seventh inning.”
Makenzie Allen led off the top of the seventh by reaching on an infield error, and Kelsey Helterbrand followed with a sharp single to left.
Kiley Shedron reached on a fielder’s choice that forced out Allen at third, setting the stage for Morgan Goss.
The freshman slugger ripped a long single that plated Helterbrand and sent Shedron to third, with Goss advancing to second on the play. Skylar Price followed with a sacrifice fly to score Shedron and give pitcher Lauren Meek a 2-1 advantage going into the bottom of the seventh.
Zoe Crum reached on a two-base error to open the rally, and Hannah Decker drew a walk. Both runners advanced as leadoff hitter Makayla Collier grounded out.
Veronica Hudson then hit a fly ball right field that Tori Combs and Allen converged upon. Allen hauled in the catch and fired a perfect strike to get pinch-runner Claire Turner at the plate.
“We needed to scratch out a win, doing that by making plays, and we did that both offensively and defensively,” Spencer said. “It was great to end the game on a double play. We work on that stuff all the time, and it’s great to see it in use and people do what you want them to do. It was just a good night for us.”
Cascade got its only run in the bottom of the first as Collier reached on an infield error, stole second, went to third on a wild pitch and came home on a groundout.
Meek allowed just two hits and struck out four batters, while walking three.
The Clovers got just three hits off Burch, with their only hit in the first six innings being a third-inning single by catcher Hannah Long. Burch had retired the first seven Clover hitters in order.
With the win, Cloverdale improved to 2-2 in the WIC East Division.
Cloverdale 000 000 2 – 2 3 3
Cascade 100 000 0 – 1 2 1
WP — Meek