WRV SOFTBALL SECTIONAL: Clovers claw out win in extra innings over Wolverines; face Thunderbirds Wednesday

SWITZ CITY — On Tuesday, May 21, the White River Valley softball team fell to Cloverdale 10-9 in extra innings in the first round of Sectional 57.

The Lady Wolverines end with a 2-16 record, while the 3-15 Clovers will take on North Central on Wednesday, May 22 for a spot in the Sectional 57 title game.

In the top of the first, Cloverdale sophomore Paisley Meyerrose hit a fly ball and reached on an error, scoring sophomore Callee Smith.

In the bottom of the first, freshman Lainey Strosnider singled before junior Brynna Walton doubled to put two runners in scoring position with no outs.

Senior Hannah Rogers singled, loading the bases for WRV.

Sophomore Kayla Pierce earned a walk, scoring Strosnider to tie the game at 1-1.

Sophomore Zyleigh Abams hit a double to score Walton and Rogers as the Lady Wolverines took a 3-1 lead.

Freshman Miah Duncan grounded out, scoring Pierce as WRV led 4-1 after the first inning.

In the top of the third, senior Keelie Price doubled before Meyerrose singled to put runners on the corners.

Sophomore Dakota Allee grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Price.

After a walk, Meyerrose scored on a passed ball before Abrams earned three strikeouts to end the inning.

Cloverdale tied the game in the top of the fourth on a double from Meyerrose, scoring Smith before Allee reached on an error to score Meyerrose to take the 5-4 lead.

In the bottom of the fifth, WRV tied the game on a single from freshman Leia Fulford, scoring junior Bailee Chesnut.

The Clovers pulled away with a triple from Smith, a single from Price and a home run from Meyerrose as Cloverdale led 9-5 heading into the bottom of the sixth.

Walton singled before Rogers singled, putting runners on the corners with no outs in the bottom of the sixth.

Walton scored on a passed ball before Abrams singled.

Duncan doubled, scoring Rogers to make it a 9-7 game.

Chesnut singled, scoring Abrams before Mya Myers grounded out, scoring Duncan to tie the game at 9-9.

In the top of the seventh, WRV forced a quick inning with two strikeouts from Pierce and a pick off as the Lady Wolverines looked for the walk-off.

Walton reached on an error with one out, but a strikeout and a ground out ended the seventh as the teams moved into extra innings.

Smith singled before Price doubled, scoring Smith to take a 10-9 lead with one out.

Meyerrose doubled to put two runners in scoring position, but Abrams earned a strikeout and a ground out to end the top of the eighth.

The Lady Wolverines went three up, three down in the bottom of the eighth as Cloverdale escaped with a 10-9 victory.

For Cloverdale, Meyerrose led the way with four hits and three RBIs, adding a two-run home run.

Smith and Price each added three hits, with Price adding two RBIs and Smith adding one.

Allee added one RBI, with sophomore Sarah Nichols and Alaina Chambers each adding a hit.

Lowe pitched one inning, giving up four runs on four hits with two strikeouts, while Smith pitched the final seven innings, giving up five runs on 10 hits with six strikeouts.

The Clovers will take on North Central, 12-8, on Wednesday, May 22 at 7:30 for the Sectional 57 semifinals.

For WRV, Walton earned four hits on the day, with Duncan, Abrams and Rogers each adding two hits.

Duncan and Abrams each added two RBIs, with Chesnut, Myers and Fulford each adding one hit and one RBI.

Strosnider added a hit with Pierce chipping in an RBI to round out the team.

Abrams pitched six innings, giving up seven runs on seven hits, striking out six, while Pierce pitched two innings, giving up three runs on five hits with two strikeouts.