Bearcats fall to No. 3-ranked Clarksville, 9-2
North Butler first baseman Alexis Sterling can’t reach an errant throw as Clarksville’s Kori Wedeking reaches on an error while Allyson Essink (background) scores an unearned run during a 4-run sixth-inning rally by the Indians.
By John Burbridge sports@charlescitypress.com
ALLISON — We’ve all heard of the “Big Bad Wolf”.
But what about the “Big Bad Inning”?
That latter has a penchant of springing unexpectedly on high school and youth softball and baseball teams, often devouring any chance of winning while turning close games into mercy rule casualties.
They’re usually prompted by a bad throw here, a booted grounder there and suddenly a team can find itself trapped out in the field as their opponents circle the bases.
In Tuesday’s non-conference softball game between Clarksville and North Butler, the hosting Bearcats were able to cut into a 2-0 lead by the Class 1A No. 3-ranked Indians while finally getting to Clarksville ace Kori Wedeking in the fourth inning.
Senior Nicole Heeren doubled off the fence before an RBI single by Kristin Dralle. Dralle would later drive in another run for the Bearcats, but by that time Clarksville was completely in control on way to winning 9-2.
After the Bearcats cut the lead in half, Wedeking drove in 2 runs with a single in the top half of the fifth before being driven in herself by an RBI single by Janet Borchardt.
The 3-run rally put the Indians up 5-1, but the Big Bad Inning came in the sixth when Clarksville scored 4 unearned runs on way to improving its record to 10-3.
North Butler fell to 9-6 — more than half of the Bearcat losses have come against ranked teams.
North Butler will try to get back on track Wednesday when it travels to Buffalo Center to take on North Iowa.
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