Clarion Softball Opens Season With A Pair Of Wins (04/04/15)
(By Coach Dan Shofestall)
The Clarion Softball Team opened their season with a pair of wins over Clarion-Limestone and Keystone. Freshmen pitchers Sadie Rudesyle and Alexis Constantino each picked up their first career wins as a Bobcat.
Clarion 9 – Clarion-Limestone 6
In the season opener, the C-L girls traveled to Weaver Park, under chilly conditions, to get the season open for both squads and a 9-6 Clarion win. C-L opened the scoring, as Alisha Kiser walked and scored on a Rachel Hummell base hit. They added two more runs in the third, as Kiser scored on a Meghan Kelly single and Hummell doubled home Kelly for the 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third, Clarion got on the board as Cora Zerfoss hit a two out triple and scored on a wild pitch. The Bobcats then rallied to take the lead, in the fourth inning, with a four run burst. After one out, Rudesyle and Maya Thornton reached base. Sydney Kiser then hit into a fielder’s choice plating Rudesyle. Liz Saver knocked in Thornton, followed by an Aliya Reeds single. After a wild pitch and a ,Zerfoss single, two more runs scored for a 5-3 Clarion lead. C-L closed the gap, with a run in the sixth to close within one but the Clarion squad responded, in the bottom of the frame, with four more runs to open the lead to 9-4. Constantino had a two RBI single followed by Johnna Rapp’s run scoring hit. Kiser, Zerfoss, Keanna Over and Constantino all scored in the inning. C-L responded with a pair of runs in the top of the seventh but Rudesyle was able to avoid further trouble, by striking out the final two batters she faced, to notch her first Bobcat win.
For Clarion Zerfoss and Over each had a pair of hits. Kiser and over each had doubles and Zerfoss tripled. Also Reed, Rapp, Rudesyle, Constantino and Saver all had singles. Zerfoss and Constantino had a pair of RBI’s while Rapp had one. Rudesyle picked up the win with 10 strike outs.
Clarion 6 – Keystone 5
Rainy weather and tough field conditions were the early storyline the following evening, as the Keystone Panthers rolled into Weaver Park. That storyline was soon an after thought, as the Lady Panthers and Bobcats put on a thrilling show for the fans, as Clarion came from behind for the second consecutive night to start the season with a 6-5 victory and a 2-0 record to start the young season.
It was Keystone who opened the scoring with a run in the first. Makena Stiller and Marina Bowser added to the lead with solo homeruns in the second and third innings, staking Keystone a 3-0 lead.
Clarion’s bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth, with a big five run inning. Cora Zerfoss and Sadie Rudesyle opened the inning with back to back singles and advanced to second and third on a wild pitch. Maya Thornton’s sacrifice fly scored Zerfoss. Sydney Kiser reached on an error. Aliya Reed walked. Rudesyle scored on an error. MacKenzie Reed pinch ran for Reed, setting up the stage, as Keanna Over stepped to the plate. Over ripped a 1-1 pitch to the ga,p scoring Kiser and DiTullio. After rounding second base, a Keystone miscue allowed Over to race the whole way home to give Clarion its first lead of the game 5-3.
Keystone closed the gap with a run in the fifth, to make the score 5-4.
Clarion came right back with what turned out to be the winning run in the bottom of the inning. After Zerfoss was hit by a pitch she advanced to third on Rudesyle’s sacrifice bunt and would score on a wild pitch. With the score set at 6-4, all the Bobcats needed were three outs, but Keystone did not make it easy, as Bowser led off the inning with a double and would eventually score on a sacrifice fly. With two outs and nobody on, Makena Stiller stepped to the plate. Stiller, who had homered earlier in the game and with two strikes on her, hit a shot to left field. Maya Thornton went back on the ball and made a spectacular catch to end the game and give the Bobcats and their fans a thrilling victory.
Constantino had two hits for Clarion. Johnna Rapp, Stephanie Kahle, Over, Zerfoss, Rudesyle, and Sydney Kiser also each had a hit. Over had two RBI’s and Thornton chipped in with one. Constantino picked up her first Bobcat win by striking out 4 batters and walking two.
It was good to open the season with a couple of wins against two good teams. We are getting a lot of contributions from everyone on the team. The bench support has been super. Johnna Rapp our catcher has been doing a great job in working and helping our young pitchers. Keanna, Cora, Sadie, Alexis and Aliya have been solid for us in the infield. Maya. Sydney and Liz Saver have all contributed with big plays in the outfield.
Sadie had 10 strikeouts in game one and Alexis was very efficient, with her strike to ball ration, by throwing 64% of her pitches for strikes. We were competitive and battled back for those first two wins with a total team effort. Now it’s important to keep working and improving to continue to progress.
The Bobcats are scheduled to travel to West Forest on Monday April 6th.
(Thanks to Coach Shofestall for this article. Great Start, Lady Cats!!!!)