ANDALE, Kan. — The Andale/Garden Plain softball team split a huge doubleheader with Clearwater on Thursday, with implications in the 4A west standings and both teams unbeaten in AVCTL-IV play.
Clearwater took game one, 3-0, while Andale/Garden Plain salvaged a split with a 10-8 win in the finale. Both games were moved up earlier in the day to be played in full and avoid inclement weather.
Game 1: Clearwater 3, Andale/Garden Plain 0
Behind a six-hitter and 11 strikeouts from Trista Welty, the Lady Indians just needed three runs offensively, two of which came in the first inning on back-to-back RBI doubles by Makenna Hampton and Liv Miller. Hampton gave Clearwater a 3-0 lead in the seventh with an insurance RBI on a fielder’s choice.
Andale/Garden Plain’s biggest threat in the game came in the first inning when it got two singles from Emily Eck and Rose Molitor, but left two stranded. Andale/Garden Plain left four stranded in the game with no one getting past second base.
Clare Krier went the distance, allowing three runs on six hits, and recorded two strikeouts. Brooklyn Sele went 3-for-3 at the plate.
Game 2: Andale/Garden Plain 10, Clearwater 8
Just like in the opener, Clearwater jumped out on top with three in the top of the first. Andale/Garden Plain scored its first run of the doubleheader on an RBI single by Molitor. Clearwater got two back in the second to extend its lead to 5-1. Andale/Garden Plain responded with eight in the second, highlighted by a 2-run single by Sele, a 2-run single by Bella Cates that tied the game at 5. Taylor Grimes’ RBI single gave Andale/Garden Plain a 6-5 lead with a bases-clearing double by Coti Hiner, making it 9-5.
Clearwater slowly chipped away with two in the third and one in the fourth, but an RBI double by Hiner in the fourth gave Andale/Garden Plain a 10-8 advantage, which would be enough to hang on for the win.
Ryin Gibbens threw four innings of shutout softball, allowing six hits and one strikeout, earning the win in relief. Hiner went 2-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs.
Andale/Garden Plain (10-4, 5-1 AVCTL-IV) hosts Circle at 4:30 p.m. Monday in Andale.
