Burlington Stops Clear Creek Amana Shy of State Tournament Return With 1-0 Win in Regional Final
Ryan Murken
Your Prep Sports
OXFORD – A year ago Clear Creek Amana scored six runs in the 11th inning as part of an unforgettable 11-10 regional final win.
On Tuesday the extra-inning magic eluded the Clippers.
Burlington snapped a scoreless tie with a run in the top of the 10th and held on for a 1-0 win over seventh-ranked Clear Creek Amana in the Class 4A, Region 7 title game at McAreavy Field in Oxford.
“It can be a crazy game and if you are still playing this time of year anybody can get upset,” Clear Creek Amana coach Jodie Sheetz said. “Give them some credit they played well.”
Clear Creek Amana got a stellar outing from junior pitcher Ashley Webb and had its chances offensively stranding 12 runners in 10 innings while ending the season 29-10.
Burlington (20-13) advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2011 and will face top-ranked Winterset (34-4) in a Class 4A quarterfinal on Monday at 3 p.m. at Rogers Sports Complex in Fort Dodge.
“That’s what we talked about after the game was we had chances,” Sheetz said. “We had second and third at least three times, bunts and slugs, anything on the ground would have got us a run so I told them that game should have been won in seven innings.
The opening inning proved to be an omen for the Clippers.
Senior Bailey Olerich drew a lead off walk and Reese Stockman singled with one out putting runners on second and third with one out.
Burlington pitcher Saydee Plummer struck out Aeslyn Massey and got Oliva Miller to fly out to second to escape the jam.
That was the first of several opportunities the Clippers couldn’t cash in on against Plummer.
Clear Creek Amana stranded runners on second and third in the third and eighth and left two on in the fifth and sixth.
The Clippers lined into a double play with runners on second and third with no out in the fourth and had the potential tying run thrown out at home attempting to score on a wild pitch to end the game.
“We had all sorts of opportunities,” Sheetz said. “It is what it is, they played tough and their pitcher did a nice job.”
Plummer wiggled out of every jam.
The sophomore allowed seven hits in the 10-inning complete game shutout, striking out seven and walking four and hitting three more batters.
“I would have thought we would have come out right on top and hit it pretty well,” Sheetz said. “I’m not sure what was going on but she threw well.”
Webb matched Plummer all evening.
The junior left-hander struck out 12 and allowed just one unearned run in the 10th on five hits.
Ninth place hitter Sophie Brown led off the Burlington 10th with a bunt single and two batters later stole second with two outs.
Brown scored on a Webb throwing error after a Morgan Schroeder grounder back to the circle.
Seniors Olerich and Emma Mathis each had a hit for the Clippers while fellow senior Hailey Frost doubled in her final prep at bat.
“We are definitely going to miss those seniors,” Sheetz said. “Bailey and Emma’s speed we are really going to miss at the top of the order and Hailey Frost came up and had a big hit for us too. All three of them we are going to miss a ton.”
Burlington 000 000 000 1 – 1 5 1
Clear Creek Amana 000 000 000 0 – 0 7 2
W – Saydee Plummer L – Ashley Webb
2B – CCA: Brenna Williams, Hailey Frost
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