MILFORD — On the strength of big hits from the bottom of the batting order, Clinton-Massie pulled out a thrilling slugfest win, 14-12, Tuesday over Batavia in a Division II Cincinnati 1 Sectional Championship game at Milford High School.

Clinton-Massie (13-8) will play 5 p.m. Friday against Kenton Ridge at Miami East High School in a Div. II Southwest Distrrict Championship game.

With the game tied at 12-12 in the seventh, Sam Bowman and Layla Davis both drove in runs with two-out hits to put the Falcons on top. In the bottom of the seventh, CM pitcher Kiera Brightman retired three of the four batters she faced to close out the win.

“The atmosphere in that seventh inning was just amazing,” said CM manager Brandon lewis. “We told them in the circle where else would you want to be. We are playing for a sectional championship, have our fans rooting us on and we control our own destiny. They came out and scored two and then held off Batavia for the win. This was the most exciting game I have been a part of and just so happy for the girls, team, families, school and community.”

Clinton-Massie led 7-0 but Batavia posted eight runs in the second to take the lead. It was back and forth from there until the seventh.

“They continued to fight after Batavia came back from a 7-0 deficit,” Lewis said. “They didn’t quit after taking that punch in the gut. They continued to battle and battle. We kept telling them just tie the game and then let’s see what happens.”

The heart of the Massie batting order was big. Kayla Drake, Delaney Schneder and Sydney Doyle were a combined 7-for-12 with nine runs scored, five runs batted in, three doubles and a homerun.

But Bowman and Davis batting eighth and ninth collected four hits and drove in two of the biggest runs of the season for the Falcons.

SUMMARY

May 17, 2022

@Milford High School

Clinton-Massie 14, Batavia 12

CM^4^3^0^1^3^1^2^^14.13.0

B^0^8^0^0^1^3^0^^12.12.9

(14) CLINTON-MASSIE (ab-r-h-rbi) Branham 6-1-0-0 Drake 3-3-2-0 Schneder 5-3-2-2 Doyle 4-3-3-3 Crombie 4-0-0-0 Brightman 4-2-2-1 O. Ward 5-1-1-1 Bowman 4-1-2-1 M. Ward 2-0-0-0 L. Davis 3-0-2-1

(12) BATAVIA (ab-r-h-rbi) Patel 5-2-2-0 Rash 5-2-2-4 Bowling 4-0-0-0 King 3-4-2-3 K.Musselman 4-1-2-1 Layman 3-1-1-1 S. Musselman 4-0-0-1 Williams 3-1-1-0 Hopper 4-1-2-2 Coyle 0-0-0-0

2B: CM-Drake, Doyle, L. Davis, Schneder; B-Rash

HR: CM-Schneder; B-King 2

SB: CM-Brightman; B-King

PITCHING^ip^h^r^er^bb^so

Clinton-Massie

Brightman (W)^7^12^12^12^2^4

Batavia

Rash (L)^7^13^12^5^6^2