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CLAY CITY -- After having their season opening game against Vincennes Rivet canceled on Monday, the Eel's softball team got to open the season at home against the visiting North Knox Warriors on Thursday.
The Eels wasted little time in making an impression, mostly with their bats, as they jumped on the visitors early and often in an 8-1 victory in six innings.
Pitcher Kari Bettenbrock looked to be in midseason form as she allowed an early run but settled down to post a 10 strikeout, five hitter while only walking one batter.
The Eels got most of their offensive power from the top half of their lineup as Christina Haymaker reached base three times and scored all three times in the leadoff position. Loni Rhodes struckout her first time at the plate and reached via error in her second time up but ripped a two RBI single to right centerfield in the bottom of the fourth inning to put the game out of reach for the Warriors.
Bettenbrock also had a pair of hits, each of which drove in a run to help her cause.
The Eels knotted the score at one run apiece after the first inning but came back to score four runs in the second inning started by a single from Cameron Gerber who reached third on a bobble by the North Knox leftfielder. Kylee Knox came to the plate and scored Gerber on a fielder's choice play at the plate. After a Haymaker bunt single, Knox and Haymaker would score on an overthrow to first base as Rhodes reached base. She would score when Lacey Brown walked and rounded first to get herself into a rundown.
The Eels would put the game out of reach in the fourth inning on a double by Knox and a two run single by Rhodes. Bettenbrock would then single Rhodes home with two outs.
Despite the convincing victory, head coach Amy Hammond sees room for improvement. "We were still a little shaky tonight. But you can expect that from the first game. A couple of our younger girls still looked nervous out there, but we hit the ball solid."
The Eels will remain at home and face conference foe Shakamak on Monday beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Clay City 8, North Knox 1
At Clay City
| Clay City (8) | North Knox (1) | ||||||||
| Clay City | North Knox | ||||||||
| ab | r | h | rbi | ab | r | h | rbi | ||
| Haymaker cf | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | Hobbs 3b | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Rhodes lf | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | Neal rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brown 3b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Evans p | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bettenbrock p | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | Chambers ss | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Koehler ss | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | Curtis ph-ss | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Thatcher c | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Cooper 1b | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Gerber 1b | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Anderson 2b | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Knox 2b | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | Telligham lf | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Tyler rf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Marczak ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joslin cf | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Neal ph | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Anderson c | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| Totals | 24 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| North Knox | 100 | 000 | -- | 1 | 5 | 2 | |||
| Clay City | 140 | 3- | -- | 8 | 7 | 2 |
2B -- Clay City 1 (Knox), N.Knox 1 (Hobbs). SB -- N.Knox 1 (Hobbs), Clay City 2 (Haymaker, Rhodes).
| Ip | h | r | bb | k |
Clay City
| Bettenbrock W (1-0) | 6.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| Ip | h | r | bb | k |
N.Knox
| Evans L | 5.0 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 1 |