Above: Grayce Kortuem checks a runner at third during the Clippers’ win over JWP.
In a week on the road, the Clipper varsity softball team went 2-2.
They came from behind to beat host Madelia on Tuesday but were edged by a run in Gaylord on Thursday.
In a round-robin tournament on the Janesville carpet on Saturday, the Clippers easily defeated their host but fell by one run to USC and its eighth-grade pitcher.
Senior Night today, the Clippers host TCU.
USC 8, Cleveland 7
The Clippers held a 2-0 lead until the third.
Leading off the bottom of the first, Sophie Shouler reached first when the shortstop dropped the ball, stole second and third and scored on an Emily Kern hit to left field. Ashley Connor walked in the second, moved on a Laci Hollerich line drive to right field and scored on when the shortstop overthrew a Grayce Kortuem grounder.
But on three hits with a trio of Clipper errors thrown in the mix, the Rebels took a 4-2 lead. The Clippers limited the damage when Kern gloved a comeback line drive and tossed it to second for a double play.
Emma Sweere singled and scored on an error in the fourth, but the Rebels took advantage of a double, a hit batter and two more errors to post four more runs in the sixth to lead 8-3.
It was all Clippers from there on out, but the effort wasn't enough.
Sweere bunted for a single in the sixth, stole second and third. Ava Hahn walked, and both runners scored when Hollerich snuck a grounder past second base.
Harley Connor hit a one-out single in the seventh, and Kern hit an in-the-park homer to bring her in, but after a flyout, the game ended on a strikeout, one of eight the Clippers suffered.
The Clippers struck out six times and totaled seven hits. Kern had a homer and a single. Sweere and Hollerich each had two singles. Harley Connor hit a single.
“That’s unfortunately a pitcher we are going to see for a while,” said head coach Mike Barten, who has encountered the eighth grader in summer league. “She throws well, but we got some hits. I like what we did. It definitely made us better.”
Kern struck out three, allowed eight hits, no walks and beaned two. The Clippers committed six errors. USC committed four errors, two less than Cleveland.
Cleveland 18, JWP 6
The Clippers put up a run in the first inning when Shouler got hit by a pitch and scored on a Harley Connor single. They added six more runs in the second. Ashley Connor bunted and reached first on a dropped the putout throw. Hollerich bounced a hit to near third base for an infield single.
Kortuem singled too, and Kaylee Karels hit into a fielder’s choice. Shouler singled to score Hollerich before Kern banged a two-RBI double.
Making a clang off the football field pavilion roof, Cassandra Connor made the score 7-0 with her third homerun of the year.
With Hailey Plonsky getting experience in the circle, the Bulldogs led off the fourth with a home run. On a walk, three singles and another homer, they racked up six runs in the inning, but the Clippers never really lost control. Kern came back in and struck out the two batters she faced, and the Clippers rallied for 10 runs in the fifth to seal the triumph.
Kern struck out seven batters, walked one and gave up two hits.
The Clippers had 15 hits, eight more than JWP. Kortuem had two singles and a double. Hollerich had three singles. Harley Connor had a single and a triple. Kern had a single and a double. Cassandra Connor had a homerun and a single. Ashley Connor had two singles. Shouler hit a single.
Sibley East 5, Cleveland 4
Starting the seventh at the top of the order, Sibley East walked off with the win after a single, an intentional walk and another single.
“Every once in a while you are going to have a bad loss,” Barten said, “and that’s our first one of the year.”
The Clippers tied the game in the sixth when Kern reached first on an infield error, stole second and scored on a Hollerich ground out.
Down 3-1, they tied the game in the bottom of the fifth when Kortuem reached first on a fielder’s choice, stole second and scored on a Karels single. Reaching second on the play, Karels swiped third and crossed the plate on a Harley Connor double.
The Clippers pulled in front in the first when Karels singled, stole second and scored on a Harley Connor hit.
The Wolverines put together back-to-back singles to tie the game in the third and then went ahead in the fourth on a single, and error and a two-RBI double. They went ahead again in the eight on a Clipper error with the runner scoring on a ground out.
Shouler, Kern and Kortuem each had a single. Karels and Sweere each had two singles. Harley Connor had a single and a double.
“That’s a team that I was hoping we would be able to put the ball in play better against pitching that was no better than we have seen all year,” Barten said.
Kern struck out six and allowed nine hits and two walks. The Clippers had one error. Sibley East had no errors.
Cleveland 12, Madelia 7
Scoring four runs in the third and three more in the fourth, Madelia went up 7-5, but it was all Clippers after that, and they beat the Blackhawks for the second time this season.
Shouler scored on a couple of errors for a Cleveland run in the first. The Clipper added two more in the second. Hollerich singled and scored on a Karels single. Karels advanced on a Kortuem single and scored on a passed ball.
The Clippers added a pair of runs in the fourth. Sweere hit into a fielder’s choice and scored on a Hollerich single. Hollerich touched the plate on an Ashley Connor double.
The Clippers regained the lead in the fifth. Sweere led of with a double and scored on a Hollerich home run. Karels singled, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a Kortuem ground out.
“It was battling through some adversity, and the girls did a great job to be down I the middle of the game, come back and win rather convincingly,” Barten said.
Two more Clipper runs came in the sixth. Cassandra Connor and Sweere singled and both scored on a Hollerich single. They put the finishing touches on the victory in the seventh. Karels doubled and scored on a Kortuem single. Kortuem crossed the dish on a Harley Connor single.
The Clippers scattered 17 hits. Going four-for-four with three singles and a homer, Hollerich led the offense. Karels had a hat trick of doubles. Harley Connor hit a double and two singles. Sweere banged a double and a single. Casandra Connor and Kortuem each had two singles. Ashley Connor had a double.
Kern pitched the first three innings. She struck out two, allowed six hits, beaned one and walked two. Plonsky took over in the third. She gave up six hits, struck out three and walked none. Each team had one error.
Kern struck out four, gave up eight hits, walked none and beaned one.
Cassandra Connor makes her way to the plate after her homer against JWP.
Ashley Connor goes up after a turf bounce in right field against USC.
Kaylee Karels plays a hit to center field against JWP.