Dark Horse shortstop watches the ball into her glove during first inning action.
Mike Carter|For the Independent
Tornadoes destroy Senior Night for Clinton
Clinton’s Gracin Bass squeezes a fly ball in left field during fourth inning action.
Mike Carter|For the Independent
Gracin Bass fires the ball back to the infield early in Friday’s game.
Mike Carter|For the Independent
Emery Johnson puts bat on ball to lead off the Dark Horse half of the third inning.
Mike Carter|For the Independent
Clinton’s Alivia Capps spins the ball toward home plate.
Mike Carter|For the Independent
The Senior Night festivities were a little downtrodden for the Clinton softball team. Taking their home field for likely the final time of the 2024 softball season, the Lady Dark Horses couldn’t weather the storm as they suffered a 7-1 loss at the hands of conference nemesis Fairmont.
Right from the start, the winds of the Lady Tornadoes wreaked havoc. They struck quickly in the opening frame, plating three runs to go up 3-0. After holding Clinton at bay in the bottom of the first, that’s where things settled when the game shifted into the second inning.
Fairmont grew their lead there, though, as two more runs came across the plate to jolt the Lady Tornadoes lead to 5-0.
With their backs against the wall, the Lady Horses earned one run back in the bottom of the second inning, hoping to hit some momentum and get back into contention.
Instead the game became a defensive battle and no runs were scored throughout the course of the next three innings.
In the top of the sixth inning, Fairmont broke through for two more runs, hitting the final tally of 7-1 as Clinton just couldn’t put together a comeback effort.
In spite of only scoring one run, the Lady Dark Horses were credited with getting eight hits throughout the game. Alivia Capps, Brandi Sessoms, Emery Johnson, Gracin Bass, Noah Torres, Carmella Carlton, Zoe Morrisey and Da’niyah Coxum were all credited with one hit apiece.
Clinton only had one athlete celebrating their Senior Nights, which was Daria Chavis. The Lady Dark Horses conclude the regular season at 6-15 overall and 2-9 in Southeastern Athletic Conference play.