By the time Cleveland vs Sibley East was over on Monday, the sign on the HomeTown Bank building was flashing 39 degrees.
But the Clipper girls, bundled up and with a portable heater whirring away in the dugout, got the game over as quickly as possible, beating the Wolverines 13-1 in five innings.
Delaney Thompson said she missed the 80 degrees that the Clippers played in for their season opener 10 days earlier, but she threw heat for the duration and didn’t allow the Wolverines a single hit.
“I had my handwarmer in my pocket, so that helped.”
The Wolverines scored in the first when the leadoff batter walked, advanced to second after a missed pick-off attempt and scored on an infield error. The Clippers recovered and caught the batter trying to take second, and the inning ended on a flyout to shortstop Kaitlyn Flowers.
But the Clippers scored two runs in the bottom of the first for a lead they would never hand over.
Leading off, Thompson walked and advanced to third when, next up, Ava Hahn doubled. Both crossed the plate when number three hitter Keira Schipper singled on a hard-hit ball to the shortstop.
The Clippers padded their lead in the second. Anna Lamont singled, Taylor Wolf walked and Hahn laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Schipper, battling after five fouls, sent a grounder up the middle for two RBIs. Next at the plate, Flowers smashed a double that brought in two more runs for a 6-1 Clipper lead.
Lacey McCabe led off the third with a single advanced when Mollie Bowman walked and Lamont grounded out and scored when Thompson hit into a fielder’s choice.
The Clippers posted six more runs in the fourth. Schipper led off with a walk, Flowers singled and Taylor McCabe walked to load the bases. Schipper and Flowers cake walked home when Lacey McCabe and Bowman each got hit by a pitch. Taylor McCabe scored when the pitcher dropped an Anna Lamont infield fly. Lacey McCabe scored on a wild pitch, and Bowman and Wolf scored on a Thompson double to deep center field.
In a no-hit effort, Thompson threw all five innings. Struck out eight and walked four. The Clippers committed three errors, two more than Sibley East.
Schipper hit two singles. Flowers, and Hahn each hit a double and a single. Thompson hit a double. Lamont and Lacey McCabe each had one hit. The Clippers walked nine times and struck out only twice.
“The bottom of the batting order had some good hits,” said head coach Rich Kern. “We got some freshmen in. You get a good lead, and you can try some things.”
Saturday’s scheduled games against Nicollet and USC were postponed. The Clippers travel to Searles tonight to take on Madelia. The Blackhawk’s field is damaged by flooding. They edged MVL 4-3 to start the season and lost to St. James Area 8-0.
Above: Shortstop Kaitlyn Flowers sets up to scoop a Sibley East grounder.
