Clear Creek closed out its softball season at the Mountain League Tournament.
The CCMS Lady Cats faced top-seeded White County in the semifinals last Monday at Meek’s Park in Blairsville.
While the Cats defeated the Warriors twice during the regular season, fielding and base running errors hampered the Cats, according to head coach Tina McDaniel. White was able to eliminate CCMS with a 6-5 victory.
“We matched their runs up until the seventh inning where a costly base running mistake hurt our chances to come back, and we fell just one short of tying up the game and having another chance,” McDaniel said.
Seventh-grade pitcher Braley Stewart turned in another admirable performance with 11 strikeouts.
Offensively for CCMS, Stewart added a double, and both Neeyah McDaniel and Lily Teague recorded doubles as well. Kali McCardle finished with two hits to advance runners, while teammates Parker Blue Williams, Melissa Rasmussen and Nevaeh Copeland all had a single on the day.
“We had a very good season and have a wonderful group of girls who love to play this game, and they keep getting better each and every day,” McDaniel said of the Cats, who finished with an 8-5 record.
CCMS posted a 2-1 record leading up to the tournament. Their final regular season game was Sept. 27 versus White County, and Clear Creek won, 6-1.
Stewart fanned 12 Warriors, and the Cats backed her up with solid defense. Teague had two hits, which included a double. Brenlee Daniel and McDaniel both had two singles while Jocelyn McCollum, Copeland and Teague each had one hit.
A day earlier, they topped Lumpkin County 2-1 behind another 12-strikeout performance from Stewart. She was also a menace at the plate with a pair of singles and a double.
Williams had two hits on the day, and Teague, McCardle, Daniel and McDaniel were there for one apiece.
The Cats lost 5-1 to Union County Sept. 19. Teague had a double and single, and Williams and McDaniel doubled as well. McCollum added a pair of singles, while Daniel, Copeland and Rasmussen all had a base hit. Stewart struck out eight Panthers.
The CCMS B-team trounced Towns County 16-4 Sept. 18. Katlyn Bedwell was the starting pitcher and relieved by Teague. The duo combined for seven strikeouts in four innings.
Teague went 3-for-3 at the plate with two singles and an inside-the-park homerun. Brinlee Johnson had a double and an in-the-park homerun as well. Sydney Dillard added a double and a single, and McKenly Holt tallied a double.
Maylee Bramlett, Mattie Jones, Kensie Farmer, Abby Murrillo and Jaylin Duncan each contributed two hits, and Katlyn Bedwell had a single.
“Next year, I am hopeful we will continue to improve on the successes we have had and continue to grow,” said McDaniel.
“We are losing four eighth graders next season. Our team was young this year, so with that, there is always room for improvement.”