Ryan Murken

Your Prep Sports

TIFFIN – Given the opportunity Karsyn Stratton would prefer to take an early lead, play with a few run cushion or even end the game early via run-rule.

As Stratton and her Clear Creek Amana teammates demonstrated on Monday they don’t have a problem coming from behind.

Stratton scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch in the sixth inning to help Clear Creek Amana salvage a split with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Independence in game two of a WAMAC West Division doubleheader in Oxford.

“I don’t mind coming from behind,” Stratton said. “You always want to get up early or run rule them but if we have to come from behind that’s fine.”

Clear Creek Amana led for less than a full inning on Monday but still came away with a split to move to 9-19 on the season.

Independence (19-11) scored three runs in the top of the first inning and never trailed in a 5-3 win in the opener.

The Clippers scored the final two runs of the nightcap to win for the second time in their last eight games.

“We are really proud of these girls,” Clear Creek Amana coach Matt Trosky said. “It hasn’t been easy all season and we have had some tough losses and we have had some really grinder wins and these girls more than anything have continued to battle and stay the course.”  

Mackenzie Hupke picked up the win and also went 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs to lift Independence to a win in the opener.

Hupke put the Mustangs up 1-0 in the nightcap with a two-out RBI single up the middle in the third inning.

That is all Independence would muster against Clear Creek Amana eighth-grader Peyton Grafft.

Grafft allowed a single to Lydia Butters to lead off the fourth inning but retired the final 12 batters she faced as Clear Creek Amana rallied.

“Even though we were behind to start I was very confident,” Grafft said. “You have to be able to come back and win games like this.”

Clear Creek Amana pulled even in the fourth thanks to some heads up base running from senior Abbi Kinnaird.

Kinnard turned a diving attempt by Independence center fielder Abbi Meiborg into a hustling double and the stole third.

Kinnaird came around to score on an RBI groundout by Ainsley Schrock.

“Abby Kinnaird tying it up 1-1 was huge and all that was is smart baserunning,” Trosky said. “Sometimes you just have to let seniors be seniors and do the things the they do and getting that runt to tie it up you saw our girls get some energy.”

Clear Creek Amana took its first and only lead of the doubleheader in the sixth when Stratton reached on an error, stole second advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on another wild pitch.

That was all the cushion Grafft would need.

The right-hander retired Independence in order in the seventh to cap a complete game five-hitter.

“My dropball and my changeup were working and I was able to keep them off balance,” Grafft said. “I was trying to keep changing speeds.”

Grafft allowed just one ball out of the infield in the final four innings while returning the final 12 hitters in order.

Over those final four innings Grafft got eight groundball outs and recorded her only strikeout of the game.

“Peyton just came out firing,” Trosky said. “She has consistently gotten better and she’s gotten better at just saying it’s the next pitch and that’s a big thing for an eighth grader to be able to do.”

Kinnaird had both of the Clippers hits in the nightcap and had a double in game one.

Riley Hennes had an RBI single and scored a run in the opener while Schrock had a double and an RBI and Anna Fox had a hit and scored a run.

“We battled back in the first game and we really wanted the second one,” Stratton said. “We just played our softball and we were able to get it done.”

Game 1

Independence            301  010  0  –  5  8  0 

Clear Creek Amana 000  002  1  –  3  5  2

W – Mackenzie Hupke           L – Raina Henze

2B – CCA: Ainsley Schrock, Abbi Kinnaird. IND: Mackenzie Hupke

HR – IND: Mackenzie Hupke

Game 2

Independence            001  000  0  –  1  5  1

Clear Creek Amana  000  101  x  –  2  2  0

W – Peyton Grafft      L – Megan Brock  

2B – CCA: Abbi Kinnaird.