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Poplar Bluff softball turns away Kelly
POPLAR BLUFF — Defense was the difference Monday as neither side struck out.
Poplar Bluff’s defense turned a pair of double plays and the Mules scored in each inning that Kelly committed an error as the Mules won 11-4 at Bobby Strenfel Field.
Clara Rahlmann threw out a runner from left field, drove in three runs with a pair of doubles and pitched three scoreless innings in relief to lift Poplar Bluff.
“She had a really nice day,” Mules coach Joel McDuffey said.
Ella Zgaynor also drove in three runs while Audrey Lack-Rahlmann and Emilee Cheek each had a pair of RBIs for Poplar Bluff (9-8). Lauren Webb scored twice and was 2 for 3 while Breann Thresher crossed the plate twice and drove in a run.
Kendyl Stuckey and Katelyn Dannenmueller each drove in two runs for Kelly while Alaney Moore was 3 for 4 and leadoff hitter Kate Hughes had two hits.
Kelly (10-6) put the leadoff runner on base in each of the first five innings but only scored one.
“Defensively, we had a couple of innings where we weren’t shining as well so I feel like that kind of hurt us get down a little bit,” Kelly coach Melanie Heuring said.
“We’re not getting our runners in when we need to, we’re leaving too many on base.”
The Mules, meanwhile, only did it in two innings, leading to three runs in the third and sixth innings, while a five-run fourth all happened with one out.
Thresher and the Mules kept the game scoreless in the second when she fielded a bunt to start a double play. Thresher threw to second baseman Madelyn Hefner covering first base, who then threw home to catch the runner to end the inning.
After consecutive doubles to start the fifth, Rahlmann got a grounder to third baseman Zgaynor, who stepped on the bag and threw across for a double play.
“Those double plays were huge for us,” McDuffey said. “They were doing really well with their small ball stuff and we were struggling to throw the ball.”
Rahlmann threw out a runner at the plate in the third to keep the game scoreless, but Kelly scored with two outs. Moore’s hit landed near the left-field line and Stuckey followed with a two-run double.
The Mules answered in the bottom half when Webb led off with a single and Thresher reached on an error. A diving catch by center fielder Paiten Groves robbed Lack-Rahlmann of a hit but Webb scored. Rahlmann provided a two-out, two-run double to the right-field gap that put the Mules ahead.
Kelly retook the lead in the fourth with a two-run slap up the middle by Dannenmueller, but the Mules answered with five runs.
“Seems like we have one inning that kind of kills us and we’re struggling with that,” Heuring said. “And we shouldn’t be in the last two weeks of the season.”
Adrianne Casey drew a one-out walk before consecutive RIB doubles by Webb and Thresher put the Mules ahead for good. Cheek provided a two-run single and scored on a sacrifice fly by Zgaynor when the second baseman tracked down her fly ball behind first base.
Zgaynor added a two-run double in the sixth before an RBI double by Rahlmann set the final score.
The game was originally scheduled to be played at Kelly but the schools switched home dates with Kelly hosting on Oct. 6.
The Mules will celebrate Senior Night on Tuesday when they host North County.