Khloey Sperry and Hailey McClure went deep for Gilman City on Tuesday, September 9th and the Hawks magic number for clinching the HDC title dropped to two games after they took care of business against Mercer 15-0. Tenley Griffith struck out eight Cardinal batters in four innings of work. Her strikeout totals have gone up over the last three games as she fanned ten batters in each of the East Harrison tournament games.
After Griffith fanned the first three Mercer batters, Khloey Sperry worked a 3-2 count for a walk and stole second. Avery Gregg walked and a wild pitch put Sperry on third on the play. Gregg stole second and Griffith reached on an error as Sperry scored and Gregg took third. Alli Burke popped out, but Gregg scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0. Hailey McClure beat out an infield hit as Griffith scored to make it 3-0. Parker Crabtree walked and a passed ball put McClure on third. Crabtree stole second. Caitlynn Chalfant singled to center to score two. Emily Chalfant singled to right to Caitlynn took third. Emily stole second and Ellie Smith walked to load the bases.
The Hawks nearly batted around twice as Khloey Sperry's pop fly dropped in for a base hit to make it 7-0. Tenley Griffith singled, hitting a shot off the second baseman's glove as another run scored to make it 8-0. Alli Burke singled in two runs and then Hailey McClure hit a deep drive over the center fielder's head for a home run to cap the Hawks' rally and put them in front 12-0.
But Mercer didn't quit, and Zoey Fisher stretched a single into a double to start the Cardinal second. Tenley Griffith buckled down to get two strikeouts and Fisher was erased when she got tangled up with shortstop Alli Burke trying to field a grounder. By rule, a fielder going for a batted ball has the right of way; normally, the runner has the right of way.
Avery Gregg doubled home Khloey Sperry to make it 13-0 in the second. Two great catches by Lily Stark in center precented the Hawks from doing any more damage that inning.
While the scoreboard hasn't shown it for Mercer, they have been getting better at the plate as the lower part of their order was starting to get some good swings Tuesday night. Emma Stark beat out a scratch hit and Paisley Wells, who the Cardinals have been developing as a slap hitter, dropped a perfect one over Tenley Griffith's head to put runners on first and second. They took second and third on a wild pitch, but Griffith struck out Lanie Rogers and Alli Burke snagged Payton Davis' line drive and doubled Stark off third for a double play.
Avery Gregg ran down Kylie Holt's drive in the fourth to prevent any damage from the red shirts.
The Hawks finally ended it when Ellie Smith walked and Khloey Sperry homered to the wall in right and easily circled the bases.
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