New Ulm Cathedral ended the Clipper girls’ season in Caswell Park last Saturday when the Clippers didn’t hook up during an attempt to stop a runner from taking third. The throw skidded into the outfield and the runner scored for a walk off 4-3 win.
But the Clippers, who earlier in the day avenged 2023 and 2024 season-ending losses when they shutout Springfield 6-0, had several opportunities to score before that, including bases loaded in the first and seventh innings. They were picked off at third twice.
“It was what our story has been all season,” said head coach April Thompson. “They made a couple more plays that we did. They executed. We had a couple base running errors. It’s hard to lose this way, but I’m proud of the season we had. The girls have worked hard since March. I told the girls next season starts tomorrow.”
Cathedral, seeded second in the sections, put up three runs in the second. The leadoff runner doubled. After a walk, she advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a fielder’s choice where the fourth-ranked Clippers didn’t get the out at third. The runner at third scored on a wild pitch, and with an RBI single, the Greyhounds led 3-0.
All was quiet at home plate until the fifth, when Delany Thompson hit a one-out single, Ava Hahn hit into a fielder’s choice, and Keira Schipper singled before Kaitlyn Flowers drilled a homer over the centerfield fence. It was her fourth home run of the year and suddenly deadlocked the game 3-3.
Taking advantage of an infield error with one out in the seventh, the Greyhounds had a runner poised at second. Thompson whiffed the next batter for two outs, before the fatal miscue.
The Clippers outhit Cathedral 8-6. Flowers had a homer and two singles and batted in all the Clipper runs. Schipper hit a pair of singles. Brooke Bosse, Taylor Wolf and Thompson each had singles. The Clippers walked four times, struck out four times and got hit by a pitch twice.
After singles by Schipper and Flowers and a Taylor McCabe walk, the Clippers loaded the bases in the seventh, but a ground out ended the inning. On three walks, they also packed the bases in the first. All told, Cathedral’s pair of pitchers stranded nine runners. Twice, a Clipper runner got picked off at third.
Thompson allowed four hits and three earned runs while walking two and striking out seven. The Clipper defense stranded six and committed three errors. Cathedral was errorless.
The Clippers had beaten Cathedral, last year’s state champions, 3-2 in the season opener.
Cleveland 6, Springfield 0
While the Clippers were off during their home loss to Sleepy Eye on May 22, which sent them to the elimination bracket, it was clear they came to Caswell ready to play on Saturday morning against ninth-seeded Springfield, jumping on pitches out of the gate. The Tigers had only lost 2-1 to top seeded USC.
“That was definitely in the back of our minds, but had a lot more energy this game, compared to last game,” Hahn said.
Thompson led off the bottom of the first with a single. Hahn ran out a bunt for a single, and Schipper walked to fill the bases. Flowers hit an RBI single, and Bosse singled for two RBIs and a 3-0 Clipper lead early.
“The girls were determined to come in and play hard,” coach Thompson said. “We got our bats going early, and once we are ahead, they play with more confidence. We had to come in and do our job because they are a solid team.
Leading off in the second, Natalie Flowers found an open chunk of real estate in right field. Schipper doubled, and both crossed the dish on a Kaitlyn Flowers single for a 5-0 Clipper advantage. They scored their final run in the fifth when Taylor McCabe led off with a walk, advanced to second on a Bosse ground out and scored when her sister Lacey McCabe sent a grounder by the third baseman.
The Clippers outhit the Tigers 10-1. Kaitlyn Flowers hit a pair of singles for three RBIs. Bosse hit two singles for two RBIs. Lacey McCabe had a single and an RBI. Schipper bashed a double and a triple. Hahn, Thompson and Natalie Flowers all collected a single. The Clippers walked twice and stuck out five times. They abandoned six on base.
Thompson struck out a dozen, walked five and beaned one. The Clippers marooned seven Tigers on base.
The Clippers committed two errors. Springfield had no errors.
Although the USC Rebels, with their ace pitcher, was the favorite, the section was open for the taking. The Rebels beat third-seeded Martin County West 2-1 in the semi-final on Saturday. MCW topped Cathedral 1-0 in the elimination bracket the following Tuesday and went on to beat USC 6-5 on Thursday, forcing a third meeting that day. In that game USC beat MCW 6-0 to win the section.
The Clippers split with MCW in the regular season but lost to USC.
The loss to Cathedral was the end of the line for seniors Hahn and Lacey McCabe. The Clippers end their season 16-7.
Above: The Clippers walk off the field after NUC ended their season.
