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Feisty Clay beguiled by errors

By Ray DiMonda Correspondent
Posted 3/11/20

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Errors at inopportune times proved costly to the Clay High softball team that were upset-mided against the nationally-ranked Oakleaf High Lady Knights in a Tuesday night 4-2 loss …

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Feisty Clay beguiled by errors


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Errors at inopportune times proved costly to the Clay High softball team that were upset-mided against the nationally-ranked Oakleaf High Lady Knights in a Tuesday night 4-2 loss at Clay High School.

“You can’t load the bases with two outs against this team, then come away empty,” said Blue Devils Head Coach Matt Lewis, now 1-3 with three straight losses; 6-1 to Palatka, 4-2 to Oakleaf and 2-0 to 3A-Episcopal on March 4.

Against Episcopal (3-1), Clay pitcher Kailah McKean whiffed five batters, but got scored on with an error, hitting a batter and a two run single for the only scores of the night. Episcopal pitcher Maddie Latta stymied the Clay batting lineup with 16 strikeouts and just one hit.

Oakleaf, nationally ranked in two polls, improved to 5-0 with the win over Clay and a come-from-behind 6-5 win over Fletcher on February 28.

“Clay is a very good, well coached team,” said Oakleaf Head Coach Christina Thompson. "The kids play together off-season and they are particularly hard to beat. It’s always going to beat a tough game."

On Tuesday, the Oakleaf Lady Knights rode into Clay High to try and maintain their undefeated record against an always ready, scrappy Lady Blue Devils team. The Blue Devils used a stout defense to hold the Knights to a single run in the second and third innings for a 2-0 lead.

But, in the sixth inning, a Blue Devil error to get a runner on, backed up with an RBI single and sacrifice fly allowed the Knights to go up 4-0. The Blue Devils made a charge at the end putting two runs across before the Knights shut down the effort to stay perfect with a 4-2 road win.

In the first inning, though, after a quick leadoff three up, three outs for the Knights, the Blue Devils went to work, loading the bases off of a bunt single, line drive to right, and the lone Knights walk on the evening.

With a full count, Clay’s Sydney Davis watched the sixth Madi McDaniel pitch clear the plate for strike three. McDaniel stayed all seven innings, striking out four Blue Devils.

“I liked the fight from my pitcher," said Thompson, of McDaniel. "Some things were not working early, so we got onto her, she came back, she started dealing and she went to work.”

Back in the driver’s seat, the Knights took a walk to get Jaycie Brookshire onboard. Kaylee Lambrecht line drive doubled to push Brookshire to third, followed by a Jadrianna Serrano sacrifice fly to left field to get Brookshire across the plate for the first score, 1-0.

Clay went down in three batters, putting Oakleaf back in the office. Katie Kistler grounded to second base and took advantage of one of three Clay errors to reach the base. With Clay getting the second out, it looked like the Blue Devils could hold the damage. But Jaeda McFarland had other plans as she took a fastball all the way to the center field fence for an RBI triple, 2-0 lead.

With the Blue Devil defense fully engaged, it looked like the game could be a squeaker with Clay shifting to fastball ace Kailah McKean going to the mound to start the fifth inning. McKean had one out quickly, then fell to another Clay field error putting Kaylee Lambrecht on first for the Knights. Aspen Windesheim followed with an RBI single, 3-0.

“We were able to make some adjustments at the plate. We faced some of the best pitching we saw so far," said Thompson. "I really liked both pitchers for Clay. Their first pitcher has a killer change-up and the reliever had quite a bit of zip to it. It was difficult and we were trying to figure out a rhyme and a reason to it, and they kept us on our toes.”

For Oakleaf, Jadrianna Serrano rounded out the Knights offense with a sacrifice to score Windesheim, 4-0.

“We made some adjustments but have to learn to make more going down the line,” said Thompson. "Matt (Clay coach Matt Lewis) did a good job. He handcuffed us in a few situations.”

Never ones to quit, the Blue Devils got the bottom of the seventh started with a Kailah McKean single into left field. After a strikeout, Morgan Crutcher was the second runner on with a center field single. After a left field fly out, Gabby Wiseman connected for a deep two RBI line drive to left field to bring the score to 4-2.

The Blue Devils would leave Wiseman abandoned on second as Clay grounded out to close the contest 4-2. “Going forward, I need to get them adjusting in the box sooner when we’re facing speed," said Lewis. "When we get a runner in scoring position, we have to find ways to visualize how we are getting them home.”

Both teams continue to move through their schedule the rest of this week with Oakleaf taking on undefeated Atlantic Coast and Clay traveling to Episcopal.