Wolves hold off Clovers in twin bill

CLOVERDALE — Cloverdale hosted the Parke Heritage Wolves for a doubleheader in high school softball action on Thursday night. The Clovers struggled to close innings as they gave up nine runs with two outs in the two games. Errors were a big contributor to the problem as the Clovers also committed nine errors on the night.

Parke Heritage won the first game 12-3 and took the second rallying in the seventh inning to win 15-11. The losses dropped the Clovers to 4-10 on the season, while the Wolves improved to 7-6 with the sweep.

“It is the story of our season. We get two outs and cannot seem to get that third one and give up multiple runs with two outs,” Cloverdale head coach Jamie Steffy said.

The first game exemplified that early on. After a scoreless first two innings, Parke Heritage scored six runs after the Clovers retired two batters. Five hits, an error, and combinations of passed balls and wild pitches led to the big inning by the Wolves.

The Clovers would get a couple back in the fourth. They also picked up their two runs with two outs as Callee Smith drove in Keeli Price and then Abagayle Welton plated Andrea Nees to cut the lead to 6-2.

Both teams picked up a run in the fifth inning, Cloverdale’s came on a big home run by Paisley Meyerrose cutting the lead to 7-3, but Parke Heritage put the nail in the coffin in the sixth inning by scoring five runs with the big blow coming from a dinger by Taya Sturmer and the Wolves went to the break in the action with the victory, 12-3.

The second game saw a back-and-forth game with Parke Heritage getting an early lead again. Both teams picked up a run in the first inning and then the Wolves busted out for six runs. Again, mistakes hurt the Clovers. A dropped third strike, a hit batsman, a passed ball led to the big inning and a 7-2 deficit after two innings.

The Clovers would get two back in the fourth inning as Hailey Caulkins drove in Erin Johnson and Meyerrose with a single to cut the lead to 7-4.

Errors and passed balls would allow the Wolves to take a 10-4 lead in the top of the fifth inning, but Cloverdale would finally get a big inning of their own in the bottom half.

“We just make too many errors. Sometimes it is hard for us to make the routine play that would get us out of an inning,” Steffy said.

Smith would lead off with a single, followed by a single by Amalia Haga. Welton would walk to load the bases and an error by the Wolves scored courtesy runner Brooklee Martin. Johnson would walk scoring pinch runner Sara Nichols. Price would hit a long double scoring Peyton Watkins and Sidney Bernard, plus Erin Johnson would score as the throw was behind the runners. Caulkins would then double in a run and come around to score on Smith fly ball to give the Clovers their first lead at 11-10.

Alas, with the rain starting to come down the lead would not hold up. Parke Heritage again used Clover errors to finish out the game with a five-run seventh inning that would hold up for the 15-11 victory.

Cloverdale was led on the night by Smith with four hits, Caulkins had three hits as well. Caulkins, and Price would have doubles and Meyerrose the home run. Smith also pitched a complete game in the second of the twin bill.

“Callee did a good job for us tonight,” Steffy said.

Game 1

Parke Heritage 006 015 — 12 12 1

Cloverdale 000 210 — 3 4 3

WP – Norman 7.0

LP – Caulkins 2.2, Meyerrose 3.1

2B – Sturmer (PH)

HR – Sturmer (PH), Meyerrose (CHS)

RBI – Sturmer 4, Falls 2 (PH), Meyerrose, Smith, Welton (CHS)

Game 2

Parke Heritage 160 030 5 — 15 11 3

Cloverdale 110 270 0 — 11 13 6

WP – Norman 7.0

LP – Smith 7.0

2B – Frazier, Falls (PH), Price, Caulkins (CHS)

RBI – Sturmer 2, Turner, Falls, Holcomb, Norman, Frazier, Hanson (PH), Caulkins 4, Price 3, Johnson, Smith, Watkins (CHS)