DARLINGTON – Hannah Kelly used a pair of clutch plays– one with her bat and another with her glove– to lead Darlington over Riverdale, 9-7, in SWAL softball action at Sieg Field on Thursday, April 20.
Kelly’s two-out, two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning put the Redbirds (4-5 overall, 2-5 SWAL) ahead 8-7, and then the Redbirds’ third basemen turned a key double-play and also recorded the final out on the grounder to third in the top of the seventh inning to secure the victory.
Pitcher Tayah Paulson (4-5) earned the win in the circle after allowing seven runs on 11 hits with no walks and five strikeouts. She also helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored for the ‘Birds.
Reagan Roelli went 2-for-4 with two runs and a RBI, while Norton went 2-for-4 with two runs and Bethany McDonald scored twice in the win.
The Redbirds dropped two other SWAL games during the last week, falling to Fennimore, 10-6, in a make-up game at Fennimore on Tuesday, April 18, and to Southwestern, 11-0, at home on Monday, April 24.
The Golden Eagles grabbed the lead with an eight-run outburst in the bottom of the first inning, and then held off a late charge by the ‘Birds.
Paulson was 3-for-4 to lead Darlington’s 10-hit attack. Norton and Raven Reuter had two hits apiece in the game.
Southwestern’s Mya Runde tossed a one-hit shutout on Monday, while Katie Fritz went 3-for-4 at the plate with a home run and four runs scored to lead the Wildcats.
Darlington has SWAL games at home against Fennimore on Thursday, April 27, and at Cuba City on Monday, May 1. Both games are set to start at 5 p.m.
The Redbirds will also head to South Wayne to face Black Hawk in a non-conference clash on Friday, April 28, starting at 4:30 p.m.
Darlington……. 100 032 0 – 6 10 3
Fennimore……. 820 000 x – 10 15 0
Leading Hitters: Callie Norton 2x4, Tayah Paulson 3x4, Raven Reuter 2x4.
WP- Kreul. LP- Paulson .
At Fennimore, on Tuesday, April 18
Riverdale……… 000 205 0 – 7 11 3
Darlington…….. 000 153 x – 9 8 1
Leading Hitters: Callie Norton 2x4, Tayah Paulson 2x3, Reagan Roelli 2x4.
WP- Paulson. LP- M. Klebesadel.
At Darlington, on Thursday, April 20
Southwestern… 006 201 2 – 11 13 1
Darlington…….. 000 000 0 – 0 1 2
Leading hitters: None.
WP- Runde. LP- Tayah Paulson.
Kellys clutch plays lift Lady Redbirds over Riverdale