Clinton takes 2 of 3 from Bulldogs, advances
Visiting Pendleton took Clinton deep into the night Monday before the Red Devils were able to claim the Class 3A District 3 championship.
The Bulldogs snapped Clinton’s 16-game winning streak with a 12-10 come-from-behind win in Game 1, which forced a final elimination game.
In Game 2 of the doubleheader, a second Pendleton seventh-inning rally fell short and the Red Devils escaped with a 6-4 victory.
Clinton (24-5) advances to the Upper State Championship with the win and will face host Powdersville Thursday. Chapman will face Seneca in the other half of the bracket.
Clinton 6, Pendleton 4
The Red Devils scored all six of their runs over the first four innings, jumping out to a 3-0 lead after the first and held on for the victory that put them in the Upper State Championship.
Wil Stewart, who turned in five innings as the Game 1 starter, returned to the hill in Game 2 and gave up one hit and one unearned run and striking out four in 2 1/3 innings of relief en route to the win. Damian Price pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, giving up three unearned runs in the seventh before closing the door on the Bulldogs and picking up the save.
The two teams combined for nine errors – six for Pendleton and three for Clinton. All four of Pendleton’s runs were unearned.
Clinton lead-off hitter Zack Fortman collected two of the Red Devils’ seven hits, going 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and one driven in. Zane McLendon went 1-for-2 with a triple and a run scored, and Davidson Pitts went 1-for 3 and scored twice.
Pendleton 12, Clinton 10
The Red Devils won 16 straight games heading into Monday’s contests, including an 11-8 victory over Pendleton Thursday that got Clinton unscathed to Monday’s championship.
Pendleton trailed 2-0 in the fifth, but the Bulldog bats came alive after that. Pendleton got a single run in the fifth and then 11 more over the next three innings, including a five-run eighth that gave the Bulldogs the distance they needed. The game was tied at 7-7 after the seventh inning, forcing the extra frame.
Pendleton’s Aiden Clay hit a two-out three-run triple in the eighth. Clinton added three runs in the bottom of the frame, but the rally fell short.
Davis Wilson, who sparked a four-run sixth for the Red Devils with a two-run triple, went 3-for-5 and drove in three runs. Fortman went 2-for-4 with 2 RBI.
Jaylin Alexander, who came on in relief of Stewart, took the loss for the Red Devils.
Red Devil Notes: Powdersville is selling tickets for the Upper State Championship online at powdersvillepatriotathletics.c