A hot-hitting Clover Blue Eagles softball team exploded in the seventh inning to pull away against Nation Ford.
Clover beat the Falcons 13-2 dropping them to 8-6 on the season and 2-3 in Region 3-5A.
“We need to learn to play as a team,” said Nation Ford head coach Craig Brown. “If we don’t learn to play as a team, we are going to lose as individuals. Tonight was a little sloppy. We aren’t hitting the ball. In the beginning of the season we were going after the ball, now we are waiting on it to come to us. We are talented. We have a great pitching staff. Hopefully, we will get back to full strength next week.”
After a scoreless first inning by Clover, Nation Ford got runners on base in the bottom half of the inning, but wasn’t able to push a run across.
The game quickly turned into a pitcher’s dual led by Nation Ford’s Paizlei Ross in the early going.
In the bottom of the third, Rachel Studer walked to open the bottom of the inning. Ross would hit a two out double to score Studer and help her own cause putting the Falcons up 1-0.
Clover struck in the top of the fourth off a Nation Ford error. The Blue Eagles got a single to start the inning and then a walk to put two on base before the error. A double by Clover scored two more runs to give the Blue Eagles the lead 3-1.
Neither team hit the ball particularly well, but defensive errors by the Falcons hurt them. Clover started the top of the fifth off with a walk, but another Nation Ford error put two on base with one out and eventually led to a fourth Blue Eagles run.
In the bottom of the fifth, Tori Baldino doubled with one out to try and get something started for the Falcons. Abigail Loser reached on a fielder’s choice, but Nation Ford couldn’t get any runs across.
The Blue Eagles added another run in the sixth on a wild pitch in the inning.
Clover stayed hot in the top of the seventh getting the first two batters on from questionable singles that were called safe by the umpires. That led to a two-run single and two more Blue Eagles runs.
Ross was replaced by Kailey Alston and Clover kept hitting in the inning. In total in the seventh, Clover scored eight runs on seven hits including a two-run home run and the Falcons’ sixth error of the game.
Nation Ford didn’t go quietly as Studer singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh. Baldino would walk to put two on. Ross drove in Studer to give the Falcons their second run. Ross went 3-4 in the game with two RBIs to lead the Nation Ford offense. Baldino, Studer, and Bailei Ross each had hits as well for the Falcons.
The Falcons put up a good fight in the inning, but the deficit was too much to overcome as they went scoreless the remainder of the inning.
March 28 Roundup
The Nation Ford baseball team fell 7-0 to Indian Land to drop to 6-5 on the season and 4-2 in Region 3-5A.
The Nation Ford girls’ soccer team beat Clover 1-0 on the road to improve to 11-2-1 on the season and 5-0 in Region 3-5A.
The Nation Ford boys’ soccer team beat Clover 1-0 at home to improve to 3-1 in Region 3-5A and 11-3 overall.
The Fort Mill baseball team swept Rock Hill in their three-game series with a 9-4 win to improve to 9-3 on the season and 6-3 in Region 3-5A.
The Fort Mill softball team lost to Indian Land 4-1 dropping themselves to 2-2 in Region 3-5A and 3-4 on the season.
The Fort Mill girls’ soccer team beat Indian land 2-0 at home to improve to 4-1 on the season in Region 3-5A play and 5-3 overall.
The Catawba Ridge softball team beat Rock Hill 16-0 to improve to 15-0 on the season and 5-0 in Region 3-5A.
Mac Banks: mac@fortmillprepsports.com, @fortprep
