Dispatching Madelia, first 13-2 on the road on Monday and then 12-2 back in Cleveland on Tuesday, the varsity Clipper girls finished their conference season 9-1 for a share the conference title with Martin County West. The Clippers and Mavericks had split a double header.
The Clippers return to action today (Thursday) when they take on New Ulm Cathedral in the Valley-Tomahawk conference championship during a conference showcase tournament at North Mankato’s Caswell Park. The Clippers lost to visiting Cathedral 5-1 in their season opener.
The Clippers outhit the Blackhawks 16-2 on Monday.
Delaney Thompson hit a double and two singles and batted in one run. Kaitlyn Flower hit a single and had a pair of RBIs. Natalie Flowers had two singles and three RBIs. Keira Schipper had a double and three singles and two RBIs. Addie Sandhurst had three singles. Taylor McCabe, Hadley Thompson and Anistyn Dauk each hit a single. The Clippers struck out twice, walked once and left 10 on base.
Trailing 4-0, Madelia’s two runs both came in the second as the result of two walks and two singles. The Clippers responded with five runs in the fourth and two more in each the fifth and sixth.
Thompson threw all six innings. She walked three, struck out 14 and marooned three Madelia runners on base.
Madelia struggled through six errors. The Clippers committed one error.
In Cleveland, the Clippers turned on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first when Kaitlyn Flowers walked, advanced to second on a wild pitch, to third when Schipper hit into an error and to the plate on a Brooke Bosse two-RBI single.
Madelia posted a pair of runs in the third
They added seven runs in the third when Schipper hit into an error and scored on a McCabe double. McCabe advanced on a Bosse single and scored on a Hadley Thompson ground out. Bosse scored on a wild pitch. Taylor Wolf walked, advanced on a sacrifice fly and scored on a Delaney Thompson single. Thompson scored on passed balls and wild pitches. Kaitlyn Flowers walked and moved through the basepaths on a pair of wild pitches and a Schipper single.
The Clippers added three runs in the fourth. Madelia couldn’t produce any runs in the fifth, and the game ended after four and a half innings.
The Clippers bats weren’t on fire as they have been in the last several outings, but they were good enough. McCabe hit a double. Bosse hit two singles. Thompson, Natalie Flowers and Schipper each hit a single. The Clippers walked seven times, struck out three times and abandoned five on the basepaths.
Delaney Thompson tossed all five innings. She allowed three hits, two walks and one earned run while striking out seven and leaving three runners on base. Madelia errored four times, the Clippers once.
Because MCW competed in the Valley-Tomahawk championship game last year, in event of a tie, the Valley team that did not compete in the championship plays this year. The same scenario happened in boys basketball this year when Nicollet and Madelia tied, but Nicollet played in the Valley-Tomahawk championship.
Gametime at Caswell is 5:00 p.m.
Above: During the game at Cleveland, shortstop Kaitlyn McCabe entertained the crowd with a quick juggling act before tossing out the runner at first.
The Clippers celebrated Parents’ Night after the game. “Tonight is about more than softball. It’s about recognizing the people that made this season and these athletes possible,” head coach April Thompson told the crowd. “Parents, thank you for the countless hours that you spent driving to practices, games, tournaments and team events. Thank you for the early mornings, the late nights, the washed uniforms, packed snacks and all the behind-the-scenes support that goes unnoticed. Thank you for encouraging these girls after tough losses, celebrating the wins and teaching them what it means to work hard, stay committed and work as part of a team. As coaches, we get the opportunity to work with these athletes on the field, but you’ve been their biggest supporters long before they ever stepped on a softball field. Their confidence, character, resilience and determination they show every day starts at home.”