Good stuff on the diamond: Eutectics drop thriller then win in walkoff

AFFTON, MO – The Eutectics and Pride played a pair of nail-biters on Wednesday. Both teams came in riding losing streaks and both found a way to snap them. The opening game was a pitchers' duel as Emma Henley and Meredith Gatto each spun a gem. The game was scoreless through seven and the Pride managed to push two across in extras to win 2-0 in 8 innings. The second game saw Clarke take a 6-4 lead with singleton runs in each of the last three frames. But in the bottom of the seventh, UHSP's leading hitter in Alicia Kimble tied the game with an RBI single and Reese Smith turned the first base dugout into a frenzy with a game-winning RBI single to plate Kimble for a 7-6 win. Clarke snapped a 6-game skid with their win while the Purple and Gold snapped a 9-gamer with their triumph.

GAME 1 HIGHLIGHTS:

CLARKE 2, UHSP 0 (8 INNINGS)

• UHSP did not record a base hit in the game after the third inning. The were held to two hits by Gatto and Kailey Samora and Hallie Roper each singled in the third.
• Gatto finished the game retiring the last 16 batters she faced.
• The Pride had at least one hit in every inning. UHSP escaped the sixth as Clarke loaded the bases with one out on three straight singles. Henley was able to get out of it with a shallow fly to left and a groundout back to Henley.
• Reece Fleming broke the scoreless tie in the eighth when she scored on a UHSP error at third.
• Oakleigh Harman singled in a second run in the inning with a ball hit to left field. Harman was 3-for-3 for the Pride.
• Gatto (4-6) went all eight innings for the win. She allowed only two hits, walked one and fanned nine.
• Henley did not get any run support in a solid out. She saw her record fall to 2-4 as she also went the distance allowing two runs on 11 hits, fanned four and walked one.

GAME 2 HIGHLIGHTS:

UHSP 7, CLARK 6

• Clarke scored three runs in the first on three hits and two UHSP errors against Eutectic starter Trysten Murphy.
• UHSP got right to work in the home half of the first against Payge Pyszka. Samora singled and scored on a passed ball. Kimble drove in a run as she reached on an error.
• Kimble and Mackenzie Nelson drove in runs in a two-run third with back-to-back RBI singles. UHSP led 4-3 after three.
• The Pride scored unearned runs in the fifth and sixth thanks to Eutectic errors.
• It was 6-4 Clarke after the top of the seventh. Hannah Palzkill doubled for the Pride to bring home Kynadee Harris who singled with two outs.
• That set the stage for the dramatic home half of the seventh. Hunter Noto had some outstanding plays on defense at shortstop and she led off the UHSP seventh with a single. Roper rocked a double to score Noto. Kimble singled home a run to tie the game at 6-6 and after a pitching change Nelson singled and Smith followed with the game winner. UHSP had five hits in the seventh and 12 for the game.
• The Eutectics won despite committing five errors on defense.
• Murphy (1-1) scattered 11 hits and yielded six runs but only two earned while walking one and striking out three.
• Pyszka (2-4) gave up all seven runs, walked three, fanned two and allowed ten hits.
• Noto, Roper, Kimble, Nelson, and Smith all had two hits for UHSP. Kimble drove in three while Roper had a pair of doubles.

UP NEXT:

This weekend, the Eutectics (7-13, 2-4 AMC) play a pair of AMC doubleheaders. On Friday, they travel to Conway, AR to visit Central Baptist. The Mustangs have won eight straight and sit 15-15 overall this season and unbeaten at 4-0 in the AMC. Then Saturday, UHSP will be in Springfield, MO as they face the Mission Patriots. Both doubleheaders start at 1:00p.