Photo by Keith Stewart
Sullivan’s Kailyn Boyer goes to bunt Monday evening against Altamont’s Deidre Ledbetter, who struck out 14 Lady Redskins.

One hit surrendered, 14 K’s from Altamont’s Ledbetter

by Kirk Whitaker
Arthur/Sullivan Reporter

Sullivan played the first 5 2/3 innings of softball perfectly in the field against Altamont Monday.

Zeros were on the scoreboard for both sides, no errors either way, and sophomore Heidi Clements looked as if she could throw all night.

Then there was the one that got away.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.

An Altamont grounder went to Elissa Stewart at short, but trying to beat the runner to the bag, Stewart gave a throw just out of the reach of Brittin Boyer at first that rolled to the fence, and the runner advanced to second.

After third was stolen on the next pitch, Clements delivered a wild pitch that ricocheted off the backstop back to catcher Makenzie Rupert who dove for the runner at home, but in a bang-bang play Altamont was called safe.

“There was a little miscommunication in calling pitches, and that is my fault,” Richter explained. “It was in the heat of the moment, and sometimes it doesn’t go your way. I thought it was a close play at the plate, but it didn’t go our way this time.”

That one run was all Sullivan needed to do itself in because Altamont starting pitcher Deidre Ledbetter had the Lady Redskins’ number all Monday night.

Whether it was a pinpoint fastball, rise-ball, or devastating changeup, Sullivan simply could not hit the Lady Indians ace.

“She is a good pitcher,” Lady Redskins head coach Ben Richter stated. “She had a good rise-ball and threw hard—harder than what we were used to—and coming off our last game, we just couldn’t make the adjustment.”

Ledbetter’s dominance—14 strikeouts, and a no-hitter to boot—was a large reason why Altamont was able to squeak by with a 1-0 victory over the Lady Redskins, but Sullivan ace Heidi Clements answered every call herself although her stat line wasn’t as strikeout-full as Ledbetter’s—four strikeouts while walking three—the Sullivan sophomore by all means kept her team in the game.

“Heidi gave us 71 strikes out of 98 pitches, and she has been doing that consistently,” Richter said. “Our defense played phenomenally tonight. It was a pretty tough team. We haven’t seen a dominant pitcher like her before this season and just weren’t able to put any runs on the board.”

After a 4-3 win against Pana Saturday—in which Liz Inman gave the Redskin cause three hits—Stewart supplied the lone Redskin hit with a fly ball to short right field. The Lady Redskins (1-3) travel to Arcola Thursday to face the Lady Riders and another top area pitcher in junior Taylor Edwards.

Stats:

Pitching: H.Clements: 7IP, 4 K, 3 BB, 0 ER

Hitting: E. Stewart: 1-3, 1B