March 19, 2024

Clarke explodes in sixth inning for SCC win

It took the Clarke softball team six innings, but it finally got its offense going on May 25 in a 7-2 win over Chariton in South Central Conference play.

Chariton took leads of 1-0 and 2-1, with Clarke twice answering a couple of innings after Chariton took the lead.

The Lady Indians then broke through for a five-run sixth inning to put the game away.

Vanessa Bakley’s bunt led to a Chariton error that allowed Sidney Marker to score from second base to give the Lady Indians a 3-2 lead and left runners on second and third.

Amanda Kindred smacked a sacrifice fly to center field to score Ashlynn Oehlert and then Bakley scored on a wild pitch for a 5-2 lead.

Senior Lexy Carson put the finishing touches on the win with a two-run home run to left field.

“It took us a little while,” Clarke head coach Lindsay Diehl said. “We kept giving things away to kids and didn’t make them work for it. We were giving runs away early, which was frustrating, and weren’t capitalizing on our opportunities when we had runners in scoring position. We did sort of settle in and make some adjustments.”

Sydnee Redman picked up the win in the pitching circle, tossing seven innings and scattering six hits with seven strikeouts and three walks.

Diehl said Redman’s ability to stay calm even with her young defense making several early errors behind her was crucial to the Lady Indians staying in the game.

Chariton had the bases loaded with no outs in the top of the first inning and Redman escaped the inning surrendering only one run.

“She’s so even-keeled when her young defense made a couple of mistakes there and let runners score,” Diehl said. “She stayed calm and relaxed. She gained confidence every inning. I was pleased with her performance tonight.”

Clarke left nine runners on base for the game, but Diehl said as her young team gains more experience this year, the offense will start to click.

It’s a different team offensively than what Diehl has had in recent years. There are fewer power threats in the lineup now and more speedy baserunners.

“I’m going to have to change my game plan a little bit. We finally have a lot of speed. It’s fun to watch them put the pressure on the defense,” Diehl said. “We have young kids that you feel like you get them prepared when I coach them in 14U, and then their heads spin when they get in this situation, making it a bigger stage than what it is. That’s the best way you learn, is to fail. It’s OK for us to do that.”

Clarke started its season with a 12-0 win over East Union on May 24.

Bakley hit a home run and drove in six runs in a 2-for-2 night at the plate. Marker finished 3-for-3 with four stolen bases. Carson doubled and drove in three runs.

Redman pitched two innings of two-hit ball with five strikeouts and no walks, while Alexis Watson struck out five with one walk in two innings of two-hit ball.

Clarke travels to Ankeny on Friday before playing in the Bondurant-Farrar tournament on Saturday.