Published: April 22, 2008 11:25 pm            

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Griffaw comes through for Bulldogs in 3-2 win

CLARKSVILLE — Every team needs a player to step up in difficult situations.

On Tuesday afternoon at Providence High School, that player for the New Albany softball team was Faith Griffaw.

The junior pitcher allowed five hits and no walks for a complete-game victory, as the Bulldogs defeated the Pioneers, 3-2. Griffaw recorded eight strikeouts and fanned the side in six of the seven innings.

“That’s the Faith we’ve been expecting to see all year as far as challenging batters and hitting her spots,” New Albany head coach Steve Belden said.

Belden was extremely proud of the way Griffaw persevered in the bottom of the seventh inning with the Bulldogs up 3-2.

After New Albany (6-6) lost leadoff hitter Chelsea Jordan to a leg injury in the top of the frame, Griffaw hit the Pioneers’ Katy Flanagan to start the bottom half.

But the next batter, Laura Clements, hit a grounder back to Griffaw, who threw to second for the force out. After Clements stole second to put the tying run in scoring position, Griffaw proceeded to strike out Lisa Huber swinging and fan Lauren Knight looking.

“She got her adrenaline flowing when it was 3-2 and C.J. was hurt,” Belden said. “She knew she could help the team tremendously by hitting her spots.”

The Bulldogs’ offense gave Griffaw all the runs she needed in the first two frames. Chelsea Banks put New Albany up 1-0 in the top of the first with an RBI single to left to plate Chelsea Knable.

“She’s been our most consistent hitter the last four to five games. She’s doing a great job,” Belden said about Banks.

Providence (2-10) tied the game at one in the bottom half when Maria Cochran scored on a fielding error.

But with two out and runners on second and third in the bottom of the second, Knable pulled a base hit to right-center field to plate Ashleigh Holcomb and Paige Wills. Knable was the Dogs’ only multihit player, going 2-for-4.

“Chelsea came up in that inning when she drove in the two runs,” Belden said. “She’s been working on that and she came through.”

The Pioneers cut their two-run deficit in half in the fifth. Clements led off the inning with a single to center and advanced to second on a Huber sacrifice. Clements moved to third on a Griffaw wild pitch. One out later, Clements scored on another wild pitch.

In the bottom of the sixth, Providence senior Sammy Combs collected a one-out single. But the inning ended when Natalie McDonough flew out to left and Griffaw struck out Pioneer pitcher Kelsey Markland.

“Lately, we’ve been getting hits. It’s just we’re not getting hits in a row,” Providence head coach Sean Payne said. “We can’t put together a great inning.”

McDonough went 2-for-3. The Pioneers were without two of their best hitters due to injuries in Megan Brinkworth and clean-up batter Kameron Klein.

Markland earned the loss despite a decent effort. She went the distance, allowing eight hits and one walk while striking out four. Markland also showed her toughness as a Jordan line drive ricocheted off her shoulder in the seventh.

“She’s a warrior out there,” Payne said.

Both teams return to the diamond today. New Albany hosts South Central, while the Pioneers visit Charlestown.



NEW ALBANY 120 000 0—3 8 1

PROVIDENCE 100 010 0—2 5 1

W — Griffaw (6-5). L — Markland (2-10).

Records — New Albany 6-6, Providence 2-10.

        

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