Yeah, Ruiz looks like she has pretty good speed out there. Certainly someone who could probably score on a base hit to the outfield, which would certainly make sense why you're pulling them in a little bit. That Again, the black of the plate is a strike. The black of the plate has always been a strike, but just not today. Uh we I I actually marked it as a strike in my book. I have to erase it. Well, I don't have to erase it now. So, it's 2 and 1 to Chelsea Saints. >> Yeah, and Haynes hit by a pitch uh back in the in the second inning. Kind of turned on that pitch, that inside pitch that was called a ball, and I think that was enough to see the umpire get that pitch called a ball. It It I'm looking at this crowd. It sure is nice.
What What a fabulous crowd here on a on a lovely Saturday morning in Ashland. As Chelsea Saints fouls one down the third baseline. But this is the kind of thing you see when a team is having success. Clockers looking for their eighth win in this young season. It's going to bring out some community members to come out and watch these girls and cheer them on. They deserve it. They deserve to be uh supported. I hope the student population begins coming out and getting behind these fantastic young ladies. >> Yeah, it's a likable team. They play good fundamental softball, and they're just a lot of fun to watch, Mike. And you said likable team. They They They are a incredibly likable team and really wonderful kids, too. Uh we have some really good student athletes, some student leaders on this team, some kids who are involved in the community, who do good things.
Uh You know, people like Rebecca Kriegsman, who was an MIAA leadership uh student. Taylor Kotch, who is a class officer for the senior class. Uh And Saints uh leaned into that one a little bit. She did. She definitely leaned into it, but you know, smart play. Smart play by the kid. She takes the pitch, gets hit by a pitch. I I do think that um she wore that one, but you know, sometimes a kid Take one for the team. Yeah. Okay, coach Sasso getting an explanation from the home plate umpire. >> Yeah, I think coach Sasso saw the same thing that I saw um that she definitely leaned into that. Um talking about it with the base umpire. You really can't lean over the plate to take a pitch like that. And that's what I saw, but again, we have a tough angle. We got a bad angle here in the right right right field line.
Um I'm interested to know if any of the fans that are out in center field felt like she Oh, no fans in center field because we don't have a fence here at Hunt Field. I've been searching for that for quite some time, but maybe eventually we'll get ourselves a fence so these girls can play like they should play at the varsity level um with an actual fence. Okay, well, first and second for the Titans with just one out here in the top of the sixth, though. Titans threatening, and we're going to have a mound visit here from our circle visit from uh coach Larry Sasso. Yeah, I think that makes sense, right? Yeah, settle the girls down. You get 7-8-9 coming up with one out. Be really nice if you can get out of this inning uh with 7-8 to have nine lead off the seventh for the Titans.
Uh she has struck out Maturalla in the fourth inning, and she got her to ground out to Buderman in the second. So, this this batter is 0 for 2 on the day to Bella. Uh I think right now it's just one of those moments where you want to just have a quick conversation, settle these players down, and and let's get out of this inning. Yeah, stick with the game plan, keep going with what what has brought you success here today. Throw strikes. Yeah, throw strikes, hit spots, don't don't get rattled by what was I think a missed a missed strike call, and then really potentially a uh a a a stolen hit by pitch, but you can't let that worry you. You can't worry about that. You have to have poise in the mound. And this is going to be foul. It's a foul ball.
Um but a good piece of hitting there by Maturalla. But nonetheless, that's just strike one. Uh so, probably maybe move Taylor in a step and put her over to the line after that, but she's playing pretty deep right now. I don't know if coach Sasso wants her that deep. No, he's moving her in. Oh. Off-speed pitch goes for a ball. I thought she might have brushed her leg with that one. It just felt like something felt a little bit off on that delivery. Huh, interesting. Yeah. I wonder. Uh but also, you know, this is the sixth inning. She could be tiring a little bit. Typically, these pitchers can go deep, but that's a late swing. It's a good fastball. It's a good low fastball. 2 and 2. I'm going to check the stats to see how many pitches Bella has thrown so far today. Mhm.
Again, these are unofficial. This is an unofficial um count, but the game changer box score, once it loads up, has Bella uh As she a backwards K for Bella D and that is two outs now in the top of the sixth bringing up Isabella Dallas Um Yeah, Domestico has only thrown 82 pitches 55 for strikes which which really isn't efficient an efficient percentage. Strike one. Sixth strike out of the day for Bella second one looking. Yeah, I I this is that's the typical game for Bella. She's not going to blow you away um with strikeouts but she will get some in in in the big spots too. That was a big spot for a strikeout now with two runners on with only one out. Now we've got two outs with two runners on and the number eight hitter up to the plate and Isabella Dallas who did have a single in the fifth.
Well, Mike as you're how you're describing Bella I don't know if you can call a freshman crafty but it seems like that's that's the direction you're going in. Yeah, she is she she hits spots. She she is and she's been working on her game for years. I've been watching Bella pitch since she was a young girl. I mean and we've been watching her growth and her development. Um she has a as a 13 14 year old kid has been playing in U18. Uh that that's going to be a hard ground ball in the center field. And that's going to get a run in. So another another single by Isabella Dallas and she knocks a run in there. Uh So it keeps the inning alive and now the score is 6 to 4 Clockers in the top of the sixth with two outs and runners on first and second for the number nine hitter Delaney Walker.
Well, Mike in the pregame you we talked about you know the Titans were going to be a formidable opponent for these Clockers and it's coming true here so far today. We've got a pretty tight game here in the sixth. >> And I also said to you last inning had to keep them under four four four or less and right now they're at three heading with with two outs. So got to keep got to keep uh Chelsea Sanders off the >> [screaming] >> So that one gets by Maddie Sanders and sneaks into the outfield. I'm going to wait and see what the official score is on that um by our scorekeeper. Yeah, I mean shortstop didn't touch that ball. I would have to score it a single. Yeah, I It's a play I think should have been made but >> our scorer gave it an error and I actually think that that went under her glove.
I I I think she should have made that play. >> Once she went backhand, yeah. So I'm going to go E6 as well on Sanders and that loads the bases unfortunately. Uh this is going to be a tough spot with the top of the order up here with two outs. The Titans are looking for some two out magic with Valerie Lamont who is one for three on the day. Big big spot here for Domestico who is up 01 on Valerie Lamont. Misses away. This is this is a huge spot for the freshman. Got to shut this down right here. Can't let any more runs score. High pressure situation right now for the Clockers. Little high two and one. Good news for the Clockers is they are coming up with the top of the order in the in the bottom of the sixth. So hopefully those bats can keep going but we don't want them to get any more across.
We want to limit the damage here. So it right now is 6 to 4 and that's not what we want, right? We said we wanted to keep them at four. >> Mhm. So we wanted to score six. We wanted to keep them at four. So let's see if my my hope holds true. As Bella does have two strikes and she gets out of the inning with a huge strikeout swinging a [cheering] miss to Valerie Lamont. That is a heck of a spot for Bella Domestico there getting out of a really hard situation with the bases loaded and the lead off hitter up. She gets her to strikeout swinging keeps us alive for hopefully a really great inning in the sixth. Clockers lead 6 to 4 after five and a half. What a jolt of electricity there. A big strikeout to end it with the bases loaded.
Yeah, and I love the excitement that we shown by the the ladies as they came off the infield. They That's another thing that we just haven't seen in the last two years by this team is excitement. You know, obviously winning is contagious and and when you only win six games in two years it's it's hard to get excited and losing becomes contagious but winning becomes contagious and that's what I think coach Sasso has done here is he's gave them a winning mindset. These girls aren't coming out thinking they're going to lose. They they they're running out to the field. They're running off the field and I I think we also need to give credit to you know coach Pam Curtis who stuck with the Clockers. Coach Sasso talked to some of the the players the returning players. They talked so highly of coach Pam and what she brings to the table for these kids and she and he kept her on board from last year's staff.
And when when we talk about coach Curtis uh what is a absolutely tremendous human being. She's just a wonderful wonderful person. She does so much for these girls for their confidence. Um she's always positive. She's bringing them snacks. She's packing them hand warmers when it's cold. She does all the little things but she just truly cares about these kids and I I think the the kids feel that from her and and they're really enjoying this team right now. I think coach Sasso and coach Curtis along with the the young coaches that they have on staff that used to play for coach Sasso and Anna Maria have also been a welcome addition. It just sounds like a lot of positivity on this team from the coaching staff through to the players. Sure is. And one thing that's been positive is the play of Nico Eustace who is looking for her third hit of the day.
Uh Eustace is two for two. Uh she's been on base all three times as she walked in the fourth. Eustace fouls one off. Good cut. She was right on that one. So it's one and one is the count in the top of the sixth to the Clockers lead off hitter. Spark plug at the top of the lineup. Again Nico what's what's interesting is Nico's only scored one run today. Uh Nico's used to crossing that plate on a regular basis. That's going to be a pop up to the right fielder. She camps underneath it. Uh Nico just gets under it. Unfortunately, she pops up to right to get the first out of the inning. Uh hopefully Bella Domestico can get her third hit of the day. She comes to the plate two for three today. Bella takes ball high. Uh really want to get one this inning.
Mhm. Yeah, look Nico looked like she may have gotten jammed on that last one. Like everything else she's been hitting today has been pull side. That one floated out to right. Yeah, only up 6 to 4 right now. I feel like an insurance run or two is really important. Uh as Bella leaves one it's going to be two and 0. Again, if Domestico can get on I do have great faith in our three and four hitters to knock her in especially uh the way they've been hitting as of late. And Bella ropes one to left. It gets by the left fielder. Bella just may be able to get to third here. Looks like she might be trying to go home. Larry's waving her in. No. It cuts her down. Probably a good move. Leave her at third base with the big bats of Vendetti and Kyra coming up.
Again, that one's going to go down as a single with an E7 but nonetheless Bella Domestico is at third base with one out in the bottom of the sixth and the Clockers have something going with runners in scoring position for Ava Vendetti. Just had a yellow conference on between the umpires. I'm curious to see what they're talking about. They're having a little conversation now with uh third base coach for the Titans. I don't know if the the runner go too far coming around third base. Uh I don't think that's that would nothing I I don't know what that issue would be. I didn't see anything. She does seem upset about something. The head coach uh of the Titans wants to talk to the plate umpire. Not sure what this could possibly be about. Oh, maybe it's the courtesy runner. He brought a courtesy runner on.
He Maybe she's saying he didn't call the courtesy runner. You get a courtesy runner for your pitcher. So they've done it all game long. Uh so I I don't know what the argument could possibly be. Domestico gets a courtesy runner. The only other thing I can guess Mike I mean they seem to be pointing an activity toward like the middle infield. I I know if they were some kind of an interference. I I don't know. >> Yeah, I'm not sure. Um Maybe someone in the live broadcast can send us a text and let us know. Angela, what happened? I know you're watching. Maybe you saw you saw, but regardless, you're going to have Ashland's side as you are the most biased fan in the United States. Vendetti pops one up to the shortstop. That brings up Kyra with the runner on third. Kyra is two for three today.
Um This is a big spot for her with the runner on third base and two outs. Really could use a clutch hit out of Kyra right now. >> [screaming] >> Looking for her third hit of the day. You think she's eyeing the right fielder again? Well, I've got the scouting report on her like nobody else. And um Caroline does typically hit to the opposite field. She looks like she's a power pull hitter, but she's not. She's a She is an opposite field of kid. That one goes to the third base. She made a liar out of me as she pulls a ground ball to third, leaving the runners stranded. Unfortunately, that is the last thing the Clockers wanted to do was go scoreless from the top of their order in that inning. Not getting anything across, no runs off of one hit. Um really a a tough turn of events there for Ashland.
They had their their their best four hitters up and they come out scoreless. And now they're going to put the pressure on Domestico to close this thing out up two going into the seventh. Yeah, runner on third with less than two outs, not able to bring them home. That Hopefully, that's not going to come back to haunt them. They still again, I mean, it's not all bad. We're going gloom and doom, but Clockers do have a two-run lead here in the top of the seventh. >> do. They're up They're up two. They're up two. They're up six to four right now going to the top of the seventh. Uh and they do have a tough part of the order coming up though. Uh we'll see what Bella can do. I have great faith that Bella's going to shut this team down here, but two, three, and four are coming up.
Um on the day, Dunlevy uh is one for three. Davey, who's going to come up second, is one for three. And Ruiz is also one for three. So, they're three for nine on the day combined uh for the two, three, four hitters for the Titans. It's going to be a tough test here to see if the freshman can stay poised and um put this team away for the Clockers eighth win of the year. Uh love to see this happen. And again, winning close games is what good teams do. Right? You figure out if you are a good team by winning the close game. So, let's see what Bella can do up here against Hannah Dunlevy. First pitch in there gets ahead of the count. She's up 0 and 1 right now on the third baseman. Domestico checks the sign, toes the rubber, toes and throws.