Published: July 08, 2009 01:40 am      

LITTLE LEAGUE: D-V 11-12 softball division has turned into three-way dance

Creek wins, Jeff loses to muddy 11-12 title chase

CLARKSVILLE — The championship game of the 11-12 softball division is coming up this weekend. The only thing that’s missing is a clue as to who might be playing it.

Silver Creek continued a solid run, with its pitching staff having yet to allow an earned run in three games, and its offense delivered with a five-run fifth inning in an 8-2 win over Highlander Youth Recreation on Tuesday in the District V tournament at Clarksville Little League Park.

The result, couple with Charlestown’s 6-5 win over Jeff/GRC, simply muddied the division picture, putting Jeff/GRC and Silver Creek at 2-1 and Charlestown in the driver’s seat at 3-0. But Silver Creek will likely be favored over Charlestown when they meet this evening, and a Jeff win over Clarksville would mean a three-way tie atop the standings. The tiebreaker is an average of runs allowed.

“We’d love to have that first game back,” said Silver Creek coach Chris Bush, referring to a narrow 2-1 loss to Jeff/GRC in his team’s opener. “At least we have a chance to somewhat control our own destiny.”

Darcee Rogers was more than up to giving Silver Creek that chance, giving up just two hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks. HYR tacked on its two runs in the second inning when Allison Shields walked, Hannah Cheatham doubled and both came home on an error.

That was after Silver Creek had already jumped out to a six-run lead and the big second inning. Heather Knight — who went 3-for-4 with two runs scored on the night — had an RBI double during the outburst, as did Bailee Popp. Rogers also had an RBI in the second.

“It was good to see we came back with the five in the second, but then we went a little flat and swung at some bad pitches,” said Bush. “But Darcee did nothing but throw strikes and that made it much easier.”

Silver Creek tacked on an insurance run in the fourth and another in the sixth, but HYR never seemed to solve Rogers.

McKenzie Bush, who notched Silver Creek’s first win of the tournament and was on the mound in the loss to Jeff/GRC, will be on the mound when her team takes its shot at the title game tonight.

• Charlestown 6, Jeff/GRC 5: Jeff/GRC could have guaranteed itself a spot in the title game, but instead took a surprising loss to upstart Charlestown, which improved to 3-0.

Jeff/GRC came in with momentum after pitcher Emily Gray’s no-hit victory over HYR on Monday. Gray struck out 17 and walked just one, and saw only one opposing batter even put the ball on play in Jeff/GRC’s 6-0 win against HYR.

Against Charlestown, Jeff/GRC went with Marissa Sparks, who struck out nine but walked seven. Charlestown took advantage, building a 6-2 lead heading into the final inning.

Jeff/GRC nearly fought back with three runs in the frame and had the bases loaded with none out. But Charlestown pitcher Lexi Logsdon stopped the rally with two strikeouts.



11-12 BASEBALL

• HYR 9, New Albany 1: What could have been one of the biggest upsets in District V so far seemed possible until the top of the fifth, with New Albany locking down the division favorite into a 1-1 tie.

It wasn’t to be. Brandon Hanna crushed a solo home run to break the tie and, two batters later, Evan Jewell hit a three-run shot of his own to help HYR put up eight runs over its final two at-bats.

Jewell went 3-for-4 with a double to go with the homer. Brad Bottoroff scored New Albany’s lone run on a passed ball in the second inning.

• Jeff/GRC 5, Clarksville 2: Jeff/GRC continued its pursuit of HYR, and its own stellar play, moving to a perfect 3-0 in the tourney.

A two-run homer by Dalton Brown in the top of the sixth finally broke open a close game and gave Jeff/GRC some breathing room.

Jeff/GRC will meet Silver Creek on Friday afternoon at 5:45. Clarksville will be back in action tonight against HYR at 8.



9-10 SOFTBALL

• Silver Creek 13, Charlestown 0: Silver Creek’s Vanessa Parrish only had to pitch four innings, but each of them were perfect. She faced 12 hitters and struck out 10.

Paige Schindler went 2-for-3 with a double and scored twice for Silver Creek.



9-10 BASEBALL

• Jeff/GRC 15, Charlestown 0: Jeff/GRC scored three runs in the opening inning, then poured it on with five in the second and seven in the third to pull away.

Leadoff hitter Tim Borden went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and scored three times for Jeff/GRC, while teammate Braydon Edwards scored three runs as well.



13-14 BASEBALL

• Silver Creek 23, Charlestown 2: This game went deep into the evening, and much of it was spent in the top of the sixth.

Silver Creek saw 17 hitters come to the plate as part of its 12-run sixth, pouring it on after Charlestown barely dodged being done in by the 10-run rule with two runs in the fifth.

Tyler Rogge and Brayden Ware each doubled and scored twice, while Jamison Valvano scored three times in the rout for Silver Creek.

• New Albany 18, Clarksville 3: Zach Worrall went 3-for-4 with a double and three runs scored and George Knott was 2-for-3 with a triple in the New Albany onslaught.