Softball Rally Falls Short in Game One; Latshaw's Walk-Off Single Gives Cougars Split

(Defiance, OH)-- The Cleary Cougar softball team returned to the diamond Saturday afternoon for a conference opening doubleheader with the Defiance Yellow Jackets.  Though the games were played at Defiance, Cleary was the home team for both games.

In Game 1: After a three up, three down top of the first, Grace Polega would draw a walk to start the bottom of the first.  She would advance to secdon when Allie Hawkins also drew a walk, and would advance to third on a flyout.  Carley Kalbfleisch would bring Polega home on an RBI groundout to give the Cougars a 1-0 lead.  Defiance would answer in the top of the second inning, scoring four runs, and added three more runs in the top of the third, taking a 7-1 lead.  In the bottom of the third, Grace Polega and Allie Hawkins each reached safely with singles, bringing up Brooke Williams.  Williams would triple, scoring the two runners, and narrowing the deficit to four.  Two batters later, Olivia DeJohn would single, scoring Williams, and making the score 7-4.  The rally would continue later in the inning, when Carley Kalbfleisch scored on a passed ball, getting the Cougars within two runs, and making the score 7-5.  Defiance would regain their cushion in the fourth and fifth innings, when they scored one run, and then two more, regaining a five run advantage, with the score 10-5.  In the bottom of the seventh, Allie Hawkins would reach on a fielder's choice to have Cleary down to their final out.  Brooke Williams would triple for the second time, scoring Hawkins, and making it 10-6.  The next batter, Carley Kalbfleisch, would double, scoring Williams, and getting the Cougars back to within three run.  Unfortunately, the rally would end there, as the Yellow Jackets were able to force a flyout to end the game with the score 10-7.

Kami Linton suffered the loss, allowing 7 runs (6 earned) on 5 hits in two innings.  Haley Ludwig threw 5 innings of relief, allowing 3 runs on 7 hits.  Brooke Williams went 2/3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs in game one.  

In Game 2:  Defiance would strike first in the top of the second, scoring two runs to take a 2-0 lead.  Cleary would tie the game back at 2-2 in the bottom of the third inning.  Grace Polega and Allie Hawkins each reached base safely, setting up a Brooke Williams sacrifice fly that scored Polega, and an RBI groundout from Carley Kalbfleisch that scored Hawkins.  A two-run double from Defiance in the fourth would give the Yellow Jackets back the lead.  In the bottom of the sixth, Courtney Witten drew a walk (Arianna Hagen would pinch run), followed by singles from Paulina O'Donohue and Ashleigh Tatara to load the bases.  Grace Polega would hit a two-out single, scoring Hagen and O'Donohue, and tying the game at 4-4.  Definace would retake the lead on a RBI single in the top of the seventh, setting up some late magic from the Cougars.  Brooke Williams would reach on an error, and scored one batter later on a RBI single from Carley Kalbfleisch, tying the game at 5-5.  Cleary would load the bases with nobody out, and hit was could have been the game-ending sacrifice fly.  Unfortunately, the Cougar baserunner left early, resulting in a double-play.  With two outs, and a runner in scoring position, Mckenzie Latshaw would hit a single, scoring Olivia DeJohn, and giving the Cougars a 6-5 walk-off win.

Jade Kupsky earned her second win in as many days, as she threw a complete game, allowing 5 runs on 13 hits with 4 strikeouts.  Grace Polega and Olivia DeJohn each had 2 hits at the plate for the Cougars.

Cleary is now 7-12 overall, and opens WHAC play with a 1-1 record.  The Cougars will be back in action on Sunday, March 22, when they travel to Sylvania, Ohio to play the Lourdes Gray Wolves in a WHAC doubleheader.  Game one is scheduled to begin at 1:00 PM.