The Clay High softball team won a close game at home against the Ridgeview Panthers Tuesday night, 3-2, courtesy of Clay’s dominant defense and a walk-off hit from Kendyll Mann.
Clay started out falling behind 1-0 after Ridgeview hitter Kyiera Torrence hit an RBI single in the top of the first inning. Clay’s offense answered right back in the bottom of the second inning. The inning started off with a triple from Bailey Parker. The following at-bat, Brooke Hamilton scored Parker on an RBI double. Clay added one more run in the second inning with a single from Gabby Ellis that scored Hamilton.
Both offenses were kept at bay by dominant pitching from Ellis and Ridgeview freshman Saige Bialek and dominant defense until the sixth inning. In the top of the sixth inning, Ridgeview tied the game up 2-2 after Hannah Crosby hit an RBI triple that scored Kaitlyn Watts.
With Clay struggling to put runs on the scoreboard since the second inning, it appeared that the game was destined to go into extra innings. However, Clay loaded the bases and only had one out with Mann up to the plate. Mann hit an RBI single with a line drive up the middle.
The matchup between Clay and Ridgeview was highlighted by dominant pitching for both teams. Ellis is a senior and a Mercer signee with years of dominance on the mound for Clay High. Ellis finished the game with seven innings pitched with 10 strikeouts with only five hits, two runs and one earned run given up. Bialek is a young freshman who is on the rise for the Ridgeview Panthers. She finished the game with six and a third innings pitched with five strikeouts with six hits and three runs given up.
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