Published: April 24, 2008 12:20 am            

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Clarksville extends win streak to seven in 4-2 victory over Jeff

JEFFERSONVILLE — With production from the bottom of its order and precision pitching from its ace, the Clarksville softball team knocked off rival Jeffersonville for the first time since 2004 4-2 on Wednesday.

“Good win for us,” Clarksville coach Tim Hauber said. “I don’t care who they have, they’re always a good team. We beat a pretty good team.”

The Generals (12-4) went down early, 2-0 after the first inning. But Clarksville junior pitcher Kelly Betz allowed just two more hits and not another run the rest of the way. In fact, just one Red Devil reached second base after the first inning.

“Kelly — in the last three innings — hit the spots,” Hauber said. “We finally figured out where the umpire was calling it and tried to cater to that a little bit.”

In the meantime, the Clarksville offense scored three runs in the fourth inning and another in the sixth to complete the comeback and pick up its seventh straight victory.

“I’m just real proud of our kids for showing the heart that they did in coming back,” Hauber said.

Jeff (7-4) broke on top in the first inning when Erin Harper and Cydney Wilcoxson both singled. Taylor Hughes and Wilcoxson eventually scored on a comedy of errors by the Generals.

“The way we started, that kind of play is unacceptable,” Hauber said of an error, a wild pitch and an illegal pitch that allowed Hughes and Wilcoxson to score.

Hauber said he’s tried everything to get his team from making “get you beat” mistakes.

This time he tried silence — and it worked.

The General head man didn’t speak a word for three innings.

Catcher Kelsey Becker began calling the pitches and it worked masterfully as Betz — at one point — retired 12 of 13 batters. Becker also had a two-out triple and eventually scored on an Amber Wingler double in the sixth inning.

“(Becker) called the middle part of the game, and that’s when we did our damage,” Hauber said. “She had a big hand in the win.”

The big inning for Clarksville was the fourth when it turned a 2-0 deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Abby Conklin drew a one-out walk and was forced out at second on a Taylor Carta ground ball. With two outs, Becker and Wingler drew walks to load the bases. After Carta scored on a wild pitch, Katie Price — the Generals’ No. 9 hitter — knocked home Becker and Wingler with a single just out of the reach of Wilcoxson at second base.

“Katie Price came through with a big hit,” Hauber said. “She put the ball in play a couple times. She really came through tonight.”

Jeff coach Becky Shafer said Clarksville’s three-run fourth was her fault. She stuck with starting pitcher Chelsea Davis, even after Davis walked three batters in the inning.

“I told the kids this (loss) was my fault,” Shafer said. “I didn’t go with my gut when my gut said to make a change. I just felt like she was going to get it back. I take the responsibility for not making the change.”

The Red Devils had at least two chances to score a run to get back into the game.

But Clarksville’s freshman center fielder Bronte Miley made sure they didn’t. Miley made catches on two line drives that looked like they would easily be base hits.

“I’ve had a lot of kids and she gets a better first-step jump than anyone I’ve ever had,” Hauber said “Those were gap shots and she ran them down.”

“I’m not displeased with the way we played,” Shafer said. “We hit the ball well, just right at people or they made nice plays on well-hit balls. We had two really well-hit balls that usually would have gotten down for us. (Miley’s) a really nice fielder out there.”

Jeff will be back in action on Friday when it goes to Corydon Central, a team that beat Clarksville early in the year.

Clarksville will put its winning streak on the line in a doubleheader at home against Henryville on Saturday.



CLARKSVILLE 000 301 0—4 7 2

JEFFERSONVILLE 200 000 0—2 4 0

W — Betz (7-1). L — Davis (1-1). 3B — Becker (C).

Records — Clarksville 12-4, Jeffersonville 7-4.

        

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