QUEEN CITY, Mo. - Schuyler County spent the first three innings building a lead one run at a time Wednesday night, but Clark County erased it during one decisive trip to the plate.
The Lady Indians scored five runs in the top of the fifth and received 4? scoreless innings of relief from Emma Pitford, rallying from a three-run deficit to defeat the Lady Rams 6-3 at the Schuyler County Lady Ram Softball Complex. Clark County improved to 5-4 with the non-conference victory, while Schuyler County fell to 4-4.
The game was played despite more than an inch of rain falling in the area earlier in the day. Schuyler County’s all-weather turf left the field in good condition, although high humidity and lingering moisture remained when the first pitch was delivered.
Clark County went down in order during the top of the first, and Schuyler County immediately applied pressure against Cadence Morss. Halle Roberts drew a four-pitch walk and stole second before Maddox Berry lined a ball into the right-center-field gap. Berry raced into third with an RBI triple, giving the Lady Rams a 1-0 advantage.
Schuyler County added another run in the second despite going without a hit. Jesslyn Herring walked, stole second and moved to third before scoring on a wild pitch. The Lady Rams continued working deep counts against Morss in the third, when Greta Schoonover drew a walk and eventually scored on another wild pitch to stretch the lead to 3-0.
Morss issued seven walks over the first 2? innings, but the Lady Rams were unable to turn the traffic into a larger advantage. Pitford moved from first base to the circle with two outs and the bases loaded in the third, then struck out Nicole Poe to strand all three runners.
Clark County finally broke through against Clara Dabney in the fourth. Hollyn Perry opened the inning with a single, and Chloe Shatley and Amanda Yoder added hits as the Lady Indians loaded the bases. Clark County managed one run during the threat, trimming Schuyler County’s lead to 3-1, but Dabney prevented further damage and left two runners stranded.
The game changed completely one inning later.
Kennyck Nixon reached to begin the fifth when a dropped third strike got away, and Cabell Palmer drove the next opportunity into the right-center-field gap for an RBI double. Morss followed by sending a ball off the top of the left-field fence for another run-scoring double, tying the game at 3-3 and prompting Schuyler County to bring Maddison Severns into the circle.
Severns walked Perry before retiring the next two batters, but a wild pitch moved Morss and Perry into scoring position with two outs. Yoder stayed back on an off-speed pitch and lined it between shortstop and second base, bringing home both runners and giving Clark County its first lead at 5-3.
Jerilynn Ray kept the inning alive with a single through the right side, scoring Yoder from second before being thrown out while attempting to advance. By the time the Lady Rams returned to the plate, Clark County had turned a two-run deficit into a 6-3 advantage.
That was more than enough support for Pitford. The senior allowed only one hit after entering in the third and kept Schuyler County scoreless over the final four innings, while Clark County’s defense completed an error-free performance behind her.
Schuyler County placed two runners aboard in the fifth, but Pitford struck out Herring to end the threat. The Lady Rams went down in order in the sixth before giving themselves one final opportunity in the seventh.
Jaylee Snowbarger was hit by a pitch to begin the final inning, and Dabney later walked to bring the potential tying run to the plate with one out. Pitford responded by striking out Trinity Gray before a groundout to second ended the game.
Pitford earned the victory after allowing one hit and two walks while striking out five across 4? scoreless innings. Morss surrendered one hit and three runs, two earned, during her 2? innings as Clark County’s starter.
Palmer went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored, while Yoder collected two hits, drove home two runs and scored once. Morss added an RBI double, and Ray finished with a hit and two RBIs as Clark County totaled six runs on nine hits.
Berry supplied Schuyler County’s biggest offensive moment with her first-inning RBI triple. Gray recorded the Lady Rams’ only other hit as Schuyler County finished with three runs on two hits, drawing nine walks but leaving several opportunities unfinished.
Dabney worked four innings for the Lady Rams, allowing six hits and four runs, only two earned, while walking one and striking out two. Severns took the loss after allowing three hits and two earned runs over the final three innings.
“I think just the bats was the biggest difference tonight,” Schuyler County head coach Tristan Daniels said. “They hit the ball well when they had runners in scoring position, and we didn’t.”
Daniels said the Lady Rams continued battling and gave themselves chances despite losing the lead.
“I told the girls we didn’t give the game away,” Daniels said. “It was a battle till the very end, and we gave ourselves opportunities. We just didn’t take them.”
Clark County head coach Megan Claiborne said the Lady Indians remained positive after falling behind and eventually found the offensive rhythm they had been missing.
“We’ve kind of been in a team slump,” Claiborne said. “But they stayed positive, and that’s what they needed to do.”
Claiborne also credited Clark County’s error-free defense and the combination of Morss and Pitford in the circle. She described Pitford as a workhorse and said having two pitchers who complement one another gives the Lady Indians an important option when one is not at her best.
Schuyler County is scheduled to return to action Saturday in a triangular against Highland and La Plata at Highland. Clark County will travel to Palmyra next Tuesday.
(This game recap is presented based upon the coverage of the Hometown Radio Sports Network. Any statistics given should be deemed as unofficial.)
