McClain responds with FAC win over MTHS

After falling in a five-inning game to the Miami Trace Lady Panthers, the McClain Lady Tigers hosted their Frontier Athletic Conference rival the following evening, winning by a 14-13 score at Daryle Unger Field at Mitchell Park in Greenfield. 

McClain (1-1) fell to the Lady Panthers on Wednesday 13-3 in five innings, but the great thing about this week is MHS hosted their FAC rival the following day, and this time on their home field it was the Lady Tigers gaining the win. 

MTHS led 2-1 after the first inning and 5-1 when it was McClain’s turn to go to the plate in the bottom of the second — after Miami Trace scored three runs in the top of the second — and that’s where the momentum went to the Lady Tigers. 

Miami Trace scored their first two runs with a two-run home run by Zoey Grooms with Keionnie Ackley on the bases. MHS in the bottom of the first had Brie Cummins steal home for the 2-1 score. 

In their three-run top of the second, Miami Trace hit a three-run home run, this time off the bat of Ryleigh Vincent, scoring Trace Ford and Oliviya Dunn. 

McClain responded with eight runs crossing the plate in the bottom of the second inning for a 9-5 lead. 

MHS began the bottom of the second with a single by Dalainey Goddard, and that was followed with a base hit by Emma Posey. After an out was recorded, the bases were loaded with Kambriah Tomlin being hit by a pitch. 

MHS scored two runs first with Goddard scoring on a passed ball, and next off a base hit by Cummins, plating Posey. Olivia Stegbauer came to the plate, tying the score at 5-5 with a double to left field, scoring Cummins and Tomlin. 

Next was Leah Lovett hitting a single to left field, then the bases were loaded off a base hit by Amaya Ryan. A sacrifice bunt by Kyndee Williams pushed McClain ahead 6-5, scoring Stegbauer. 

Next came a two-out walk by Goddard, and Posey smashed a double to centerfield, scoring Goddard, Lovett and Ryan and giving McClain a 9-5 lead. Brylee Douglas had a base hit with two outs, but the inning ended with a pop up to the pitcher. 

MTHS made it a 9-6 score with one run in the third, and MHS came back with two runs in the bottom of the inning a 11-6 lead. In the inning Stegbauer singled to score Cummins, and then it was a Williams single with one out, scoring Stegbauer. 

In the top of the fourth Miami Trace had a two-run homer by Grooms, scoring teammate Ackley for the 11-8 score. MTHS scored their ninth run off a fielder’s choice that plated Gracie Cordell. 

McClain answered with their 12th run of the game as Tomlin crushed a solo home run to left field for a 12-9 Lady Tiger lead. 

Miami Trace came back with a run off a single by McCarthy, scoring Ackley, then the score was tied at 12-12 when Aubrey Keaton singled to centerfield, scoring both Cordell and Grooms in the top of the fifth inning.

MTHS took a one-run lead in the top of the sixth when Grooms singled to centerfield, plating Vincent with two outs. 

McClain battled back with two runs in the bottom of the sixth with Stegbauer hitting a double to score Cummins, tying the score at 13-13. MHS took the lead for good when Goddard had a two-out double hit to centerfield, as the line drive scored Stegbauer for the final 14-13 score. 

The top of the seventh saw McClain record the first out by forcing a pop up to the shortstop, followed by MTHS having a base runner via a walk. Next was a fielder’s choice, and the game ended with a line out to left fielder Cummins. 

McClain had three players with three hits each, with Cummins finishing 3-for-4 with a double, a hit-by-pitch, four runs, one RBI and a walk. She also collected three steals. 

Stegbauer was 3-for-4 (three doubles) with three runs, four RBI and one walk. 

Also 3-for-4 was Posey as she went 3-for-5 with a double, one run and three RBI. 

Lovett finished 2-for-5 with one run and a steal. Ryan went 2-for-4 with one run and one walk. Williams was 2-for-4 with two RBI. Goddard finished the game 2-for-4 with two runs, one RBI and a walk. 

Tomlin was 1-for-4 with a home run, a hit-by-pitch, two runs and one RBI and a steal. Douglas finished 1-for-2. 

Williams was the winning pitcher, pitching all seven innings with five earned runs and two strikeouts. She threw 117 pitches. 

Next for McClain is a scheduled home game on Friday, March 27 at Daryle Unger Field at 5 p.m. against non-conference foe Zane Trace. 

BOX SCORE
MTHS      231 331 0 — 13 13 2
MHS        182 102 x — 14 19 5