Usually on a fan unfriendly chilly day, a girls softball game can be an exercise in survival. Sometimes, it’s a quick game where pitchers just saw off frozen bats. Other times, errors in the field from penguin position players make for a rather sloppy affair.
But last Tuesday, the Lady Fliers and Lady Eagles from Oregon Clay provided two great performances at Joe Wilson Field.
Clay scored a single run to begin the game against freshman right-handed Hunter Schwochow. A double down the left field line followed by a single to right put the Eagles up, 1-0.
After Clyde girls went down 1-2-3 in their first, Clay got back it in the second. A lead-off single followed by a sacrifice bunt placed an Eagle at second. The next Clay girl advanced the girl to rid with a ground out to Clyde second baseman, Heidi Marshall.
The next hitter slapped a grounder to shortstop Kennedi Arndt, but she bobbled it enough that her throw to first did not beat the runner. It allowed the second Clay run to score.
The Clay pitcher sat the Fliers down in order in their second. The Eagles then rapped a grounder to third baseman Sydnee Helms who threw to first but late. A walk followed by a single to left left the Oregon bunch feeling rather confident.
The Fliers weren’t going to go quietly, though. Kaylee Klinski bashed a double to the fence in right center. She was moved to third on a grounder to the pitcher and scored on an infield hit leaving the score at 3-1 after the third frame.
In the fourth, the Lady Fliers finally kept the Eagles off the bases and in their nests. The Lady Fliers, meanwhile, erupted for three more runs. Adrianna Sanchez singled to center. Maddy Young smashed a double deep to left. A sacrifice fly, a ground out to short, and another Lady Flier double scored the then go ahead run to make it 4-3.
After Clay answered with a single tally in their fifth, the Fliers quickly retaliated.
A single by Maddie Montgomery was wasted on a double play ball delivered off the bat of three-hole swinger Sanchez. Maddy Young walked, and then Kennedi Arndt atoned for her first inning miscue by sending a big fly over the fence in left. Score, Lady Fliers 6-4.
The seesaw affair continued into the sixth. This time the Eagles scored three runs with two out.
A double, then a homer to left tied the game at six. After Schwochow hit the next batter, Coach Marc Marshall brought in the hard throwing junior Sanchez. Her first batter singles to right advancing the lead runner to third. From there, she deftly took home after a passed ball on catcher Chase Arndt.
The Fliers and Eagles, now in a one run game, both went down quickly in their next at bats. It came down to the bottom of the seventh and the home team had its 3-4-5 hitters up. Sanchez led off and hit to center. The fielder retreated and snagged the ball a foot in front of the fence.
A strike out and weak grounder to first ruined the Lady Flier hopes for one more comeback bid. Final: 7-6, Oregon Clay. The loss dropped the Clyde girl’s record to 7-7, while Clay improved to 9-3.
Clay had 13 hits to the Fliers nine. The Eagles committed two errors to the Fliers’ one.
Clik here to view.
