Girls show Clinton the door with 12-2 victory
By Dan Truttschel
Correspondent
A quick response by visiting Clinton in last week’s Rock Valley Conference opener could have spelled trouble for the East Troy High School softball team.
But the Trojans answered right back – and with emphasis.
East Troy broke a 2-2 tie with a five-run third inning and cruised from there in a 12-2, five-inning victory that evened its season record at 1-1 overall.
The Trojans (1-0 RVC) closed out the game with a single tally in the fourth inning and four more in the fifth to end things via the 10-run rule.
But it was the bottom of the second that was the key.
After a strikeout and a walk, East Troy’s Kelly Griffa beat out a bunt on a Clinton error, followed by four straight singles that led to five runs.
“I think good patience and hustle were an important part (of the inning),” East Troy coach Greg Prince said. “Three of the four singles came early in the count when the girls were looking for their pitch to hit, which oftentimes makes a big difference in the outcome of the at bat.”
Seeing his team bounce back after Clinton knotted things up was a big step for his young squad, Prince said.
“It showed them that they can deal with a little adversity,” he said. “(That) took a little wind out of Clinton’s sails and put the momentum back on our side.”
Kaitlyn O’Connell led the Trojans with four hits, including two doubles, four runs scored and two RBI. Other leaders were Jordan Scheel (two hits, two RBI), Maria Longstreet (two hits, two runs scored, two RBI) and Sophia Heimos (two hits, run, two RBI).
Prince was pleased with his team’s overall offensive approach.
“We really encouraged the girls to go up to the plate, be aggressive and look to get a pitch early in the count that they were confident they could handle rather than having to be defensive in their at bat,” he said. “I thought we did a really good job of that.”
Heimos picked up the win, as she allowed four hits, two walks and struck out five in five innings of work.
Clinton could have done more damage in the second inning, but Prince said she was able to work out of it.
“I thought Sophia pitched really well,” he said. “I thought she did a good job as the game went along of keeping the ball down and moving her pitches around. … (She) made some really good pitches to get us out of the jam (in the second), and she just kept it going the rest of the game.”
