SLAGLE DELIVERS … Emaline Slagle grounds out to end the second inning. Slagle had the big hit of the night for the Golden Bears with a two-run single in the sixth inning.
PHOTOS BY JACOB KESSLER / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
GOT IT … Bryan catcher Josey Arnold is all smiles after chasing down a pop up for an out. VIEW 103 PHOTOS OF THIS CONTEST FOR FREE AT WWW.THEVILLAGEREPORTER.COM
By: Nate Calvin
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
sports@thevillagereporter.com
CLYDE — Bryan pounded out 11 hits on the day and was able to stave off a late rally by Clear Fork for a 5-3 win in a Division IV regional semifinal at Clyde High School.
Bryan struck first as Amiyah Langham walked to open the game, followed by singles from Josey Arnold and Thea Staten to score Langham for a 1-0 lead.
The Golden Bears added another run in the third inning with Arnold tallying her second single of the game and Staten drawing an intentional walk to put runners at first and second with one out.
A walk to Averyann Fisher then loaded the bases, and Karli McDade lined an RBI single to left to make it a 2-0 game.
Clear Fork starter Miley Shafer would escape further damage. With the bases still loaded, Reese Ruffer hit into a fielder’s choice double play as Bryan runners were cut down at home and third to end the frame.
The Colts cracked the scoreboard in the fourth after a Bryan error, a sacrifice bunt and passed ball allowed Mya Perry to score to cut the lead in half at 2-1.
Bryan added two more in the sixth with Ruffer starting the inning with a single to center. Gisele Kidston then reached on an error, and Mylie Vollmer was safe on a fielder’s choice to again load the bases for the Golden Bears.
Emaline Slagle then delivered from the nine-spot in the Bryan order as she singled to center to score Kidston and Ruffer to make it 4-1.
Clear Fork responded with two of its own runs in the bottom of the inning. Braylee Wenger led off with a single, advanced to second on a passed ball, moved to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a bunt to make it 4-2.
Perry, who wound up on second after her fielder’s choice bunt, would steal third and score on a groundout by Presley Lilly to cut the Bryan lead to 4-3 entering the seventh.
The Golden Bears manufactured an insurance run in the seventh as Fisher started things off with a single to center.
McDade would reach on a fielder’s choice, and after a Ruffer fly out, a Kidston bunt and subsequent error by the Colts allowed Fisher to score for a 5-3 advantage.
Clear Fork would bring the tying run to the plate in its final at-bat as Karlynn Mortimer kept the game alive with a two-out double.
Staten, though, would close it out for the Golden Bears as Shaffer grounded out to shortstop to end it.
Staten allowed just two hits by the Colts and walked no one to go with her nine strikeouts. Arnold, Slagle and Fisher had two hits each to pace Bryan (22-0) at the dish.
Bryan will face the Lake Flyers (20-7) this evening at 5 p.m. back at Clyde High School for the Division IV regional championship.
BHS 101 002 1 – 5 11 2
CFHS 000 102 0 – 3 2 2
WP- Thea Staten (IP-7, R-3, H-2, K-9, BB-0)
LP- Miley Shafer (IP-7, R-5, H-11, K-4, BB-5)
LEADING HITTERS: (Bryan) Josey Arnold – 2 singles; Averyann Fisher – 2 singles; Emaline Slagle – 2 singles, 2 RBIs; (Clear Fork) Karlynn Mortimer – double