Clover softball earns key region win over Northwestern

The Clover softball team spotted visiting Northwestern two first inning runs and then rallied back to come away with a 7-4 win Tuesday. With the crucial Region 3-4A victory, the Blue Eagles improved to 7-2 in region play while Northwestern slipped to 6-2.

“Yes, this was a big win for us. It’s always a good game with (Northwestern),” Clover coach Shea Hall Hall said. “They scored early but we were able to take the punch and come back and score. We were shaky early but the defense held its own for the most part.”

Northwestern got on the board in the first inning by tallying two runs. Rachel Marion laced a double to right field that scored Daina Chase who had singled. Annie Green’s infield single plated the second run of the inning.

Marion had a huge game for the Trojans as she had three hits in four at-bats with three RBIs. One of the hits was a towering home run over the fence in left field.

The Eagles came back to tie the score in the bottom of the frame. A sacrifice fly by Shania Domingue and a double by winning pitcher Elizabeth Edmunds knotted the score.

After Marion’s homer put Northwestern back on top in the third, 3-2, the Blue Eagles wasted no time in gaining control of the game. With the bases loaded, Missy Mavrogian got the big hit of the game as she laced a double up the gap in right-center field to clear the bases and put Clover on top, 5-3.

“I’m really happy,” a smiling Mavrogian said afterwards. “It was hit we had to have at that point and it turned out to be a game winner. It’s pretty much a challenge going against (Northwestern pitcher Kori Wancheck) because she’s a fast pitcher. It’s always a big win against them.”

Wancheck scattered nine Clover hits but was victimized by four infield errors.

The win by the Blue Eagles is especially big due to the fact that that Clover not only moves to a half-game lead for top spot in the region, but it is enhanced due to both Trojans defeats having come at the hands of the Blue Eagles.

Following the clutch hit by Mavrogian, Clover hurler Elizabeth Edmunds found a groove and proceeded to shut down the Trojans over the final three innings after her team had given her two insurance runs in the fifth inning. She finished the game surrendering seven hits while striking out five.

“Elizabeth is battling with an injury but that’s what a six-year starter and senior has to do,” said Hall.

“(Clover) hit the ball well and played good defense,” said Northwestern coach Bryan Smith. “They took advantage of our mistakes and that’s what good teams do.

“If we are going to win the region we will need some help now. We need to win the rest of our region games and hope for somebody else to take care of business against Clover. We can’t make mental mistakes in a big game like this. We have to get mentally tougher.

“We just need to take care of stuff on our end. We don’t want to have to get help from anyone.”

This story was originally published April 14, 2015 at 9:19 PM with the headline "Clover softball earns key region win over Northwestern."