When New Ulm Cathedral came to town on Monday for the softball season opener, the Clipper girls were hoping for a repeat of last year, when they upset host Cathedral 3-2.
But the Greyhounds avenged the loss this year with a 4-1 victory.
Although the Clippers played well, and the game could have easily gone there way, with only three outdoor practices coming into the contest, the Clippers, who skew young this year, have a lot of things to work on, said second-year head coach April Thompson.
“It’s a very young team, so we’re putting girls in positions that they haven’t necessarily played before. So, the name of the season will be learning as we go and putting girls where we need them for that day.”
After three innings of dueling pitchers, junior Delaney Thompson for the Clippers, Cathedral posted a pair of runs in the fourth when the leadoff batter dropped a hit into deep center field for a single. The next batter walked, and both advanced on an infield hit. After Thompson recorded a second strikeout in the frame, it looked like the Clippers might escape unscathed, but the ensuing batter sent a line drive into center field, and both runners scored.
Cathedral added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth on a triple and a two-run homer.
The Clippers waited until the seventh inning to avoid the shutout when Brooke Bosse walked and scored on a Hadley Thompson double.
“I was glad we didn’t give up,” coach Thomson said.
The Clippers collected three hits—all off the bats of eighth graders— walked four times and whiffed 14 times, five of them observing. Two for three at the plate, Thompson singled in the second and also got on base on an error, and Natalie Flowers singled in the first. Taylor McCabe walked twice.
“Our bats struggled a little bit, but she was one of the fastest pitchers they will see all season,” coach Thompson said.
Delaney Thompson tossed all seven innings. She allowed six hits, walked five and struck out 14. Keira Schipper caught for her. On first was Taylor Wolf. McCabe was next door between first and second. Kaitlyn Flowers was the shortstop. To her right was her sister Natalie. Brooke Bosse was the centerfielder. She was flanked by Hadley Thompson in right field and Kiya Sohn in left field. Cecelia Gair batted for Sohn.
The Greyhounds had one error while the Clippers had no errors.
A day later, the Clippers evened their record with an easy-peasy 18-0 home victory over Alden-Conger.
After the Knights went down 1-2-3 in the top of the first, the Clippers offense went to work for 13 runs. Top-off-the-order Delaney Thompson took a pitch for a team, advanced to third on a Natalie Flowers bunt single.
Flowers made the easy trip to second, and after Schipper walked, Thompson and Flowers scored on an error after McCabe hit an infield single, and the shortstop couldn’t recover.
Schipper crossed the plate when a pitch got by the catcher’s mitt, and Bosse hit an infield single to score McCabe. Hadley Thompson walked as did Sohn. At the plate again, Delaney Thompson doubled to score her sister, and Natalie Flowers made it all the way around the bases when her hit to right field caromed off the fielder’s glove for three more runs.
On another outfield error, Schipper reached second base. Kaitlyn Flowers hit into an infield error. Both scored when McCabe drove a deep into left field. Bosse set a line drive up the middle. McCabe scored when Hadley Thompson hit into an error, and Bosse scored on a passed ball for a 13-0 Clipper advantage going into the second.
The Clippers set themselves up to win after three and a half innings when Bosse led off the frame with a single deep into left field. Next at the plate, Hadley Thompson’s grounder hopped by the shortstop for an infield single. Bosse stepped on the plate during a Gair ground out, and Thompson made her way around the base paths on out-of-control pitches.
Back at the top, Delaney Thompson singled, advanced to third on a Natalie Flowers single and both scored when Schipper ripped a double to deep center field.
The Clippers amassed 13 hits. Four of them, three singles and a double, ricocheted off Natalie Flowers’ bat. In her three plate appearances, Bosse hit for a trio of singles. Thompson hit a single, a double and got a pair of free passes. Schipper had a double. McCabe hit a pair of singles. Hadley Thompson had a single and a walk.
Delaney Thompson pitched a perfect two innings. She struck out five. In relief for two more, Bosse fanned five and allowed one walk and beaned one batter. As the Clipper defense was unblemished, they were the only two to get on base.
The Knight’s starter threw two strikeouts. She was harmed by six errors and four walks.
The Clippers return to action on Monday when they travel to Mountain Lake.
Above: The Clippers didn’t get a chance to practice setting up for a rundown before the game. Here, third baseman Natalie Flowers readies to glove a Schipper throw while pitcher Delaney Thompson readies to take over on third.
Brooke Bosse threw the third and fourth frames against Alden-Conger.