CLAYSBURG - After clinching the Inter-County Conference North Division with a win over Bellwood-Antis Thursday, the Claysburg-Kimmel softball team has its sights set on an undefeated season and the top seed in the upcoming District 6 Class A playoffs.
The Lady Bulldogs took another step towards those goals Friday with an 11-0 win over Chestnut Ridge at the Claysburg-Kimmel High School field.
Ronette Claar continued to dominate opposing hitters, giving up just one hit and striking out 10 in the five inning mercy rule victory. Jana Fickes' one-out single in the top of the first was the Lady Lions lone hit of the game.
"It was not her best game, but she's pitched 25 innings this week," Claysburg coach Mike Barbarini said. "We probably wouldn't need her to pitch as much, but we're trying to wrap up the number one seed in the district and Conemaugh Valley has just one loss."
The win polished off a perfect 4-0 week and improved Claysburg's record to 16-0 with three regular season games left on the schedule.
Claar sparked the offense as well with three singles and three runs scored out of the leadoff spot.
Lydia Fleck, Hannah Claycomb and Madison Ickes each had two hits apiece. Fleck also drove in three runs.
Fleck started a seven-run rally in the bottom of the fifth with a leadoff walk and capped it with a two-run single that scored Abby Kulick and Claar.
Following the Fleck walk, Claycomb singled to left, and Ickes reached on a bunt single to load the bases with no outs.
A Mallory Cox fielder's choice scored Fleck, and Kiersten Coho doubled to bring home Claycomb and Ickes.
Mercedeze LeMaster's ground out brought in a run, and a Kulick single scored another run before Fleck singled to left to end the game.
"We took a spanking. They have a good ball team that could go the state semis or state finals," Ridge coach Chuck Corle said. "I'm disappointed with our defense. We didn't make the plays we should have made. You can't give a team like that that many chances."
Chestnut Ridge (10-4) committed three errors, two of which led to single runs in the first and fourth innings.
Claysburg reached the state semifinals in 2009 and 2010 before losing in the first round a year ago.
"We've got a young team. Lydia and Ronette are our only two seniors, but we're looking to go deep in the postseason," Barbarini said.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Chestnut Ridge000 00x x-0 1 3
Claysburg-Kimmel102 17x x-11 12 0
2B-Fleck, Claycomb, Coho (CK). Multiple hits-Claar 3, Fleck 2, Claycomb 2, Ickes 2 (CK). RBI-Claar 3, Coho 2, Claycomb, Cox, LeMaster, Kulick. WP-Claar. LP-Yothers. SO-Claar 10. BB-Yothers 1.
Records: Chestnut Ridge (10-4); Claysburg-Kimmel (16-0).
