Clarion-Limestone Turns in Well-Rounded Effort to Beat Moniteau

STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT/D9) – Clarion-Limestone used a mix of good pitching, solid defense, and timely hitting to defeat Moniteau, 8-5, Monday afternoon.

(Jenna Dunn pitched well again in relief to help Clarion-Limestone to a win over Moniteau/photo by Diane Lutz)

Senior Regan Husted pitched five strong innings, allowing three earned runs on eight hits. She walked one and struck out one.

Freshman Jenna Dunn allowed two unearned runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

Dunn entered the game with the bases loaded in the sixth inning, but she got a double play ground out which scored a run and an RBI single with both runs credited to Husted.

“Regan pitched a strong game for us today and she had a great defense behind her,” said C-L head coach Jason Craig. “We turned three double plays and who knows when or if that’s ever happened here before. Jenna once again came in and gave us a couple of good innings which helped us get out of here with a big win for us.”

C-L (5-5 overall) scored a pair of runs in the second inning. Alyssa Wiant singled, and after one out Abby Knapp drew a walk. After a fly out to center field, the two base runners moved up on a wild pitch. Sam Simpson dropped a two-run single into shallow left field allowing Wiant and Knapp to score for a 2-0 lead.

The Lions added three more runs in the third.

Husted delivered an RBI single, while the other two runs scored as a result of wild pitches for a 5-0 lead.

Megan Wise started the top of the fourth for Moniteau with a double down the left field line. Brynne Barger singled, moving courtesy runner Grace Turner to third. Destiny Travis then hit a ball back to Husted, who glanced to third before retiring Travis at first. Alyssa Wiant’s throw home was in time to Abby Himes, who tagged out Turner for a double play. Barger later scored on a single by Taylor Thomas to cut the lead to 5-1.

“Usually pitchers get the ball hit to them and they just automatically throw to first to try and get the out,” said Craig. “On that play, Regan glanced at that runner at third which made her hesitate a bit and that helped us get the out at home.”

Himes drove in Kendall Dunn, who had earlier walked, with an RBI ground out for a 6-1 lead.

After a single and a strikeout started the fifth inning for Moniteau, Kendall Dunn picked up a ground ball headed up the middle and stepped on second before firing to first for a double play.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for Moniteau. Jenna Dunn was then brought in to take over in the circle for Husted. The first batter hit a ground ball to second baseman Olivia Smith who flipped the ball to Kendall Dunn who fired to first for another double play. On the play the Warriors did plate a run and then Thomas hit an RBI single. After a hit batter, Dunn was able to get a strikeout to end the inning keeping the score 6-3.

“I get nervous coming in like that,” said Jenna Dunn. “I try not to think about it as I just want to come in and try and get people out and try and not let them score.”

In the bottom of the sixth, Himes had yet another RBI ground out, while Wiant hit an RBI single to push the lead to 8-3 after six.

The seventh inning started with a throwing error by Jenna Dunn and a walk. Emma Covert singled to drive in Mariska Shunk, who reached on the error, and put runners at first and third. Ashley Huffman stole second, but the Lions were able to get Brianna Rottman in a rundown between third and home where she was eventually tagged out. After a strikeout, Barger hit an RBI single before a fly out ended the game to set the final score of 8-5.

“I think our girls couldn’t have played that rundown any better,” said Craig. “They were all in the right positions and didn’t panic. That was really nice to see.”

Wiant and Knapp each had two singles to lead the C-L offense. Frances Milliron, Himes, Husted, Simpson, Brinna Bailey, and Cara Runyan each added one hit. Himes and Simpson each drove in two runs, while Wiant and Husted drove in one each.

Covert, Barger, and Thomas combined for nine of the 11 Moniteau hits with three each.

Mariska Shunk suffered the loss in the circle in relief of Covert.

“We have three more games this week,” said Craig. “We have Clarion here on Wednesday, at Forest Thursday, and at Bradford on Saturday. All will be tough games, but I feel if we play like we did today we should be able to give ourselves a chance to win.”