Aggressive South runs down short-handed Clay City

May 11—Terre Haute South's softball team may not be able to bash their opponents into submission with a potent power game, but there's quite a bit to be said for the method the Braves do use to win ballgames.

That method was very much in evidence as South hosted Class A No. 9 Clay City on Monday. The Braves were very aggressive on the basepaths and it paid off in a 4-1 victory.

Of the quartet of runs South scored, three were set up by small ball — steals, sacrifices and taking maximum advantage of mistakes Clay City made to give South one base at a time.

"We were blessed with team speed this year, something we've not had a lot of in the past few years. We're turning the horses loose and letting them go. Whatever happens, happens," South coach Jeff Biggs said. "We don't have a lot of power, we do have a lot of base hitters, so we get runners in scoring position however we can."

Much of the damage on the basepaths for South was being done by the bottom third of its order. Lightning-quick freshmen Kyar McVey and Izzy Light, as well as sophomore Maddy Griswold, all executed South's aggressive gameplan to a tee. Each reached base or moved a runner up at least twice in the contest.

South's aggressiveness was augmented by a nice pitching performance by Jasmine Kinzer against a powerful, albeit shorthanded, Clay City's lineup. Kinzer allowed one run — a solo home run by Demi Wolfe — and nothing else. The Eels had seven hits and Kinzer struck out six.

"Jasmine has been pitching good of late. She's starting to dial in and the more innings she's getting the more she's finding her zone. She's a junior and she has to be a leader out there in the circle," Biggs said.

Clay City had only nine players available as both Lexi Thompson (.438) and Sophie Moshos (.372) missed the game with injuries. That pair has scored and driven in 25 runs between them. Still, Clay City coach Jason Minders was in next-person-up mode.

"We just weren't ready to go. I could tell the way we were getting on the bus. We weren't ready to go. South was. They got some hits and caused us some errors. We just weren't very sharp," Sinders said.

South (14-9) struck first in the opening frame. Grace Kidwell walked, stole second, and scored via a Lexi Cottrell single. South did a good job all day of getting runners on as it was not retired 1-2-3 in any inning.

A potential big South inning was snuffed in the third when Clay City left fielder Lexi Crabb made an outstanding home-run saving catch down the line in the third off a bomb hit by Faith Thomas, who could only smile on her way back to the dugout, knowing it took a superb play to prevent the home run.

Thomas would be heard from again later, but South scored one more in the fourth as McVey reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and then scored on a throwing error on an attempt to pick her off third base. In the fifth, South made it 3-0 when Peyton Simmons doubled and scored on a Thomas infield single.

Wolfe hit her solo home run in the sixth to make it 3-1. South's final run was scored when McVey laid down a beautiful bunt single, was sacrificed to second, reached third via a stolen base and scored on a wild pitch. Clay City had the tying run at the plate in the seventh, but couldn't get the breakthrough.

Sectional action begins in two weeks. Biggs feels good about where the Braves (14-9) stand.

"We have to play good defense, which has been the key in some of our wins. We struggled with errors early, but we cleaned up that aspect. And I've told the girls, it's one through nine batting. Everyone's not going to have a great night. They need to pick each other up and when your opportunity comes? Back it happen. That's what they've been doing," Biggs said.

As for the Eels, Monday's game began a punishing run. Clay City (13-4) will face 3A power Edgewood on Friday, followed by a Saturday in which Clay City plays both Northview and Sullivan.

"If we don't come out and play like we didn't tonight, we might get embarrassed," Sinders said. "I love my kids. They're great kids. We've talked about mental toughness and getting ready. Something has to click. Everybody goes through this. We'll keep playing and try to learn from this."

CLAY CITY (AB-R-H-RBI) — Hofmann cf 4-0-1-0, Koehler 2b 4-0-0-0, Harris c 4-0-2-0, Wolfe 1b 2-1-2-1, Secrest p 3-0-0-0, Miller 3b 3-0-1-0, Sankey rf 3-0-0-0, Crabb lf 3-0-0-0, Jenkins ss 3-0-1-0. TOTALS 29-1-7-1.

TERRE HAUTE SOUTH (AB-R-H-RBI) — Kidwell cf 3-1-2-0, Loudermilk ss 4-0-0-0, Simmons 1b 2-1-1-0, Thomas c 2-0-1-1, L. Kinzer cr 0-0-0-0, Cottrell 2b 3-0-1-1, J. Kinzer p 3-0-1-0, McVey lf 3-2-1-0, Light 3b 2-0-1-0, Griswold rf 2-0-2-0. TOTALS 24-4-10-2.

Clay City=000=001=0=-=1

Terre Haute South=100=111=X=-=4

E — Harris; Light. LOB — CC 7, THS 7. 2B — Wolfe, Jenkins; Simmons. HR — Wolfe. S — Light. SB — McVey 2, Griswold 2, Kidwell. CS — Light.

Clay City=IP=H=R=ER=BB=SO

Secrest (L)=6=10=4=4=1=3

Terre Haute South=IP=H=R=ER=BB=SO

J. Kinzer (W)=7=7=1=1=0=6

HBP — by Kinzer (Wolfe). WP — Secrest 2.

Next — TH South (14-9) hosts North Vermillion and Clay City (13-4) hosts Eminence on Tuesday.