BELLVILLE --- The Clear Fork Lady Colts used a strong pitching performance from Ashtynn Roberts and some timely defense to knock off Pleasant 4-1.

 

The Lady Colts (12-7, 7-0 MOAC) struck first in the bottom of the third on a solo home run by Courtney Palmer and added another on a Renee Anders RBI making it 2-0.

 

Roberts then helped her own cause in the fourth with a two-out 2 RBI single to extend the lead to 4-0.

In the circle, Roberts retired the first nine batters she faced until a single by Whitney Woddell led off the fourth and ended the streak. After a sacrifice bunt moved the runner to second, Courtney White sent a grounder that went through third basemen Tate Swihart's legs. Woddell was sent home, but left fielder Alyssa Swank threw a perfect ball home to get the runner at the plate.

 

Swihart then made up for the mistake one play later fielding a grounder to her right backhanded before throwing to first to end the inning.

 

The Lady Spartans (10-5, 4-2 MOAC) would get on the board in the seventh. After back-to-back hits to start the inning, Aubrie Lambert hit a grounder off of first base scoring Olivia Jordan making it 4-1.

 

Roberts then struck the next two batters out before hitting a batter to load the bases. She then got a groundout to Swihart to end the game and give Clear Fork a 2-game lead on Pleasant and River Valley with 5 conference games left.

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