The Clinton Prairie Gophers will venture away from home to take on the Tipton Blue Devils at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Clinton Prairie had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Taylor on Thursday. The Gophers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Titans a 13-0 shutout. The win continues a trend for the Gophers in their matchups with the Titans: they've now won six in a row.
Clinton Prairie got a big performance out of Keera Grizzle, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Addy Morgan also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Clinton Prairie kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in eight consecutive games.
Tipton not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since May 4, 2024 (when they won 18-1). They blew past Taylor 16-0.
Chasity Kelich made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with four RBI and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ashlyn Nasser, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Makenna Comer was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Clinton Prairie's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-3. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Tipton, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 4-8.
Clinton Prairie came out on top in a nail-biter against Tipton when the teams last played back in May of 2023, sneaking past 5-3. Do the Gophers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Blue Devils turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
