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Clinton advances to District 12 title game with win over Newberry

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Clinton shortstop Caitlyn Watson fields the throw as Newberry's Aleigha Rieppel safely steals second base in the third inning.

Clinton and Keystone have long baseball traditions. Every year in a multitude of divisions, it’s almost guaranteed that one of these teams will be playing for a District 12 title. They have made deep runs in districts, sectionals, states, regionals and even the World Series (see 2011 Keystone team). But Clinton County softball doesn’t have the same rich tradition as baseball.

This year’s Clinton major softball team is trying to change that.

Allison Lininger struck out 11, and three Clinton players had at least two hits as it defeated Newberry, 8-5, Tuesday evening at Short Park in the District 12 major softball losers’ bracket final.

Clinton moves on to the championship where it plays Loyalsock on Thursday at Volunteer Stadium.

“We said earlier in the year let’s make a goal that we’re going to play in Williamsport,” Clinton coach Matt Lininger said. “There hasn’t been a Clinton team for a number of years for District 12. But it’s a hard road, we gotta beat Loyalsock twice to win the title. So we’re looking forward to it.”

Newberry took the early 2-0 lead in the top of the first off a two-out, two-run double from Madison Waugh, but Newberry’s offense struggled to make contact after the first inning as Lininger settled in and the Clinton offense backed her.

Clinton answered with two runs in the bottom of the first on an RBI double from Caitlyn Watson (3 for 4, double, three RBIs, two runs) and an RBI groundout from Lininger. Newberry didn’t score another run until the fifth inning and Clinton extended its lead to five with two more runs in the second and three more in the fourth.

Though Clinton’s offense wasn’t as sharp as Matt Lininger would’ve liked it, it still put the ball into play and forced Newberry to play defense, which Newberry struggled with as it had six errors and a couple other defensive miscues.

“We had a couple of small errors out in the field and it cost us some runs,” said Newberry assistant coach Bill Miller.

“We hit the ball well but we gotta hit it a little better than that,” Matt Lininger said. “We had some missed opportunities with the bases loaded. We can’t give that up, leaving a little bit too many on base. But hey, the girls are having a blast.”

Clinton struck out just three times and Lininger struck out 11 Newberry hitters, including striking out the side in the fourth. And when Clinton had to make plays in the field, it did as it had just one error.

“I think Allison, the last couple of games, has been hitting her marks for us,” Matt Lininger said. “She’s come a long way this year. I think the last two games she’s had at least 10 strikeouts in each game. She’s doing well.”

Newberry had a couple of crucial scoring chances, but it couldn’t capitalize. In the third inning, three of the first four batters reached by walks. With one out and the bases loaded, Newberry grounded into a 1-2 fielder’s choice for the second out and the next batter struck out, leaving the bases loaded.

In the fifth, Newberry had already scored two runs and had runners on the corners with two outs, but an illegal substitution gave Newberry three outs and stranded the runners in a three-run game.

“We have 14 girls on the team and we’re trying to get them in. We just had a mental error,” Miller said of the illegal substitution. “We didn’t hit when we needed to hit. We got girls on and we just didn’t move them in.”

Clinton’s top four hitters powered the offense as they combined to go 8 for 12 with six RBIs and seven runs scored. Madison Toner, the leadoff hitter, was 2 for 3 with three runs scored. No. 2 hitter Aubrielle Pinero went 2 for 3 with two runs, an RBI and stolen base. Watson hit from the No. 3 spot and Emma Poorman had two RBIs.

“That’s the whole job of the leadoff hitter. Get up there, work it,” Matt Lininger said. “If you get a walk out of it, if you get a hit out of it and the key is that we have to get the girls on at the top of the lineup. Once they get up, the girls at the bottom of the lineup get fired up. Trinity (McKeague), No. 9 hole, did a nice job of rolling it over a couple times so I’m proud of the girls.”

Clinton 8, Newberry 5

Newberry 200 020 — 5 6 6

Clinton 220 31x — 8 10 1

Aleigha Rieppel and Constance Harding. Allison Lininger and Harley Kunes. W–Lininger. L–Rieppel.

Top Newberry hitters: Aleigha Rieppel 2-2 2 R; Constance Harding 1-2 2 R; Abby Spatzer 1-2 2B, RBI; Madison Waugh 1-2 2B, 3 RBI; Claire Lain 1-2 R. Top Clinton hitters: Madison Toner 2-3 2B, 3 R; Aubrielle Pinero 2-3 2 R, RBI, SB; Caitlyn Watson 3-4 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R; Emma Poorman 1-1 SB, 2 RBI; Allison Lininger 0-2 RBI; Gianna Dressler 1-2 SB, R.

Next: Clinton vs. Loyalsock at Volunteer Stadium (Thursday, 6 p.m.).

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