Win is a win: Lancers strand 11 but still get past Bull Dogs

Edinburgh softball coach Steve Clark likely won’t agonize over the 11 base runners his team left on base in Monday’s victory against visiting Columbus North.

The five runs the Lancers scored proved to be more than enough.

Junior pitcher Maddi Clark tossed a two-hitter against the winless Bull Dogs, striking out 10 and walking only one as Edinburgh posted a 5-0 victory to start what’s shaping up to be a busy week.

Clark’s team, now 12-4, hosts Southwestern (Shelby) today, plays the Spartans at their place Wednesday and travels to Crothersville on Thursday.

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“Our kids came out and did warmups focused. They did the pregame focused. They came out here ready to go,” Clark said. “I think the biggest thing for us is we made a couple of small mistakes, but we tried to execute afterwards.

“We didn’t let one turn into two as I’ve preached all year to them, and they didn’t get down on themselves.”

The only run the Lancers would need was scored in the bottom of the first off Bull Dogs starting pitcher Madisyn Price.

The first single in what would be a three-hit game for junior second baseman Vanessa McManaway brought home Sidney Beier, who had reached on a Columbus North error. The Bull Dogs committed four such miscues over the course of the game.

Edinburgh added a run in the fourth and another in the fifth before giving itself breathing room with two in the sixth.

Senior leadoff hitter Bailey Woodall came through with a pair of singles for the Lancers, while Clark helped her own cause with a single and double. The other extra-base hit for the hosts was a Bri Howard standup triple in the fourth frame.

Columbus North (0-16) posed its biggest scoring threat in the top of the sixth.

Sophomore Isabel Storey’s bunt pop-up landed inches in front of a diving Beier, who had charged in from third base, to break up Clark’s no-hitter. Freshman Brooke Bruin then singled to center to put runners at first and second with one out.

Boroughs was out at first on a fielder’s choice, which moved the runners to second and third. The Lancers got out of the jam when freshman third baseman Sierra Norman flied out to leftfield.

His squad still winless, Bull Dogs coach Ron McDonald notices improvement game-to-game.

“(Price) is getting stronger every game we get her out there on the mound. I think she went six strong innings tonight,” McDonald said. “We had a chance to win this one. It’s just a matter of time before we break through.

“We’re only going to get better the harder she throws, and I’m hoping that happens in the next two to three weeks. If not, we’re going to struggle.”

Columbus North is back on the road today when it faces Southport. The Bull Dogs host Shelbyville on Wednesday and Indian Creek on Thursday.