LEES CREEK — Tori Bailey’s run-scoring single in the seventh rallied East Clinton to a 3-2 win over Blanchester Tuesday in a non-league softball game at ECHS.
“This was just an all-around good softball game,” BHS coach Jamey Grogg said. “Both pitchers threw well, both teams defended well, both teams had chances to score early and both teams came up with key hits at the right time. In the end, they just got one more hit to drive in a run than we did.”
Grogg said despite the loss this was a game that helped get his team ready for the post-season tournament.
“We faced some tough situations defensively and made the plays we needed to. This was the kind of game that I would want us to have as we prepare for tournament play next week,” he said.
For Blanchester, Jay Dalton slugged her team-best sixth homerun of the season in the sixth inning as the Ladycats grabbed a 2-0 lead.
That advantage was short-lived though as East Clinton tied the game in the sixth then won it in the seventh.
In the sixth, Mackenzie Campbell doubled and Kaitlin Durbin singled. Kayla Hall then doubled home both runners to make it 2-2.
In the seventh, the Lady Astros loaded the bases with one out when Bailey hit a line drive to center field to win it.
Bailey went 3-for-4 with an RBI for EC.
Sierra Christian struck out eight and did not walk a batter to record the win for the Lady Astros. She was on her game, throwing 62 of her 82 pitches for strikes.
SUMMARY
May 2, 2017
@East Clinton High School
East Clinton 3 Blanchester 2
BL 000.002.0…..2-7-1
EC 000.002.1…..3-9-0
(2) BLANCHESTER (ab-r-h-rbi) Abney 4-0-0-0 Sicurella 3-0-1-0 Dalton 3-1-1-1 Curless 3-0-1-0- Demitt 3-1-1-0 Mann 3-0-1-1 Rose 3-0-1-0 Fordyce 2-0-0-0 Scott 3-0-1-0.
(3) EAST CLINTON (ab-r-h-rbi) Boeckmann 4-1-1-0 Campbell 2-1-1-0 Durbin 4-1-1-0 To. Bailey 4-0-3-1 Hall 2-0-1-2 Dunn 2-0-0-0 Ti. Bailey 0-0-0-0 Smith 3-0-0-0 Vance 2-0-1-0 Stoops 3-0-1-0.
2B: B-Mann; EC-Hall, Campbell
SAC: B-Fordyce; EC-Hall
PITCHING (ip-h-r-er-bb-so)
Blanchester
Curless (L) 6.1-9-3-2-3-2
East Clinton
Christian (W) 7-7-2-2-0-8
HBP: By Curless (Vance)
