Lady Indians Overcome At Scotland County

 Lady Indians Overcome At Scotland County

By David Sharp

Clark County displayed patience and perseverance during a rain dampened 7-3 non-conference varsity softball victory at Scotland County. The Lady Tigers (2-1) came out and claimed a 3-1 lead with two bottom of the fifth inning runs.
The Lady Indians (2-0) finally started centering the softball off Scotland County freshman hurler Megan Creek and pushed across six runs in the top half of inning six. Creek keyed a seventh inning challenge with a one out double, putting Lady Tigers on second and third base in the August 27 contest.
Freshman reliever Brittani Miller pitched to contact. Clark County’s defense did the rest, retiring the final two batters and nailing down the 7-3 victory. The contest would not have been held at most high school softball fields in the area.
Play was halted for about ten minutes in the middle of the fifth inning. Lady Indian starter Deanna Shoup walked SC leadoff batter Monica Weidenbenner in the saturated setting. Jordan Plenge made a sure handed catch of Elizabeth Duzan’s fly ball to right for out number one.
Megan Creek laced an RBI triple, scoring Weidenbenner to snap a one all tie. Kelly Lister followed with another RBI hit for a 3-1 home team lead. Clark County coach Adam Rung summoned Brittani Miller to the mound.
Clark County set down Scotland County cleanup batter Loren Smith and fifth place hitter Skyler Alderton, stranding courtesy runner Augusta Purvis on first base. The scored remained at 3-1 Scotland County after five innings of play.
“We wanted them to find the pitch they wanted to hit. We got a hit, and then another one,” said the first year Clark County coach. “All of a sudden, hitting became contagious. Each girl wanted to get up there and hit. We showed we could hit the ball today.”
Hard throwing freshman Megan Creek set the first eight Lady Indians down in order. Hannah Trump broke the ice with a Clark County double with two out in the top of the third inning.
Cady Flood drove Trump home with an RBI single for a 1-0 Lady Indian lead. Scotland County tied the game in the home half of the fourth.
Clark County third baseman Brianna Alderton made an eye popping play when she robbed Courtney Jackson of a probable RBI hit down the third base line and alertly threw to first baseman Chelsea Edmonson. Cali Holt had no chance on the play and was doubled off for the second out. Megan Brennan made a sure handed play for the final out.
Megan Creek struck out the side in the Clark County fifth inning. Hannah Trump reached on a tough error. All stats in this story are unofficial.
Brianna Alderton lit the fuse for the big sixth inning with a leadoff single. Brooke Wheeler drew the only base on balls allowed by Megan Creek during the contest. Chelsea Edmonson slammed an RBI single, scoring Brianna Alderton for a 3-2 deficit. Megan Brennan flew to Cali Holt for the first out.
 Deanna Shoup tied the score at three with an RBI single. Kelsey Anderson plated another run with a fly ball just over short. The softball went off the glove of a sliding fielder.
Freshman Hannah Trump knocked in two more Clark County runs with a double. Cady Flood continued the Clark County merriment with an RBI single. Brianna Alderton lined a two out hit. Cady Flood tried to score from first base on the play.
Brittani Miller threw strikes in the sixth inning and the Clark County defense took care of the first two batters. Miller fanned Kiley Frazier for the final out. Clark County went down in order during their seventh inning.
Brittani Miller fanned the first batter in the bottom of the seventh inning. Elizabeth Duzan drew a one out walk. Megan Creek belted a Scotland County double, putting runners on second and third base with one out.
Clark County’s freshman hurler faced down all conference senior Kelly Lister, fielding a short grounder for the second out. Miller looked the runners back, keeping a run off the board.
Loren Smith lashed a ground ball to Megan Brennan for the final out of the contest. Clark County scored seven runs on nine hits and one error and four left on base. Hannah Trump was 2-3 with a double, two runs scored and two more driven in.
Cady Flood and Brianna Alderton had two Clark County hits each. Brittani Miller was the winning pitcher, striking out two batters with one walk in two and a third innings.
“We are going to have to go to our second and third pitchers,” said Coach Rung. “Brooke (Wheeler) has a kind of tired arm. Deanna (Shoup) gave it all she had for four and two thirds innings. We told Brittani (Miller) to throw strikes and our defense was behind her.”
“Brittani Miller was outstanding for a freshman in the last two innings. We have got some kids that really like to compete,” said Adam Rung.
 “Our seniors do a fabulous job of leading our young kids. They are tough, hard-nosed kids. That has been contagious to our younger kids. If we can be tough, competitive and tough minded I like our team.”