LUCAS — Concluding their season in the third-place consolation game at the K-18 State Tournament, Clifton-Clyde K-18 defeated Atwood 6-5 in a walk-off win to take third place.
After a three-up-three-down inning for Atwood to open the game, Isiah Jackson was the first baserunner of the game on a walk, with Emitt Tiemeyer getting walked as well. Brennan Zahm picked up the first hit of the game. Clay Joy was walked, which scored Jackson, and Cooper Girard scored Tiemeyer and Zahm to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead after one inning.
Atwood got on the board in the top of the second, taking advantage of a pair of wild pitches and a hit by pitch. The Eagles were unable to match the run in the bottom of the inning, having a three-up-three-down inning.
Atwood picked up their first hits of the day in the top of the third, and would score a trio of runs to take the lead 4-3. With two runners in scoring position, the Eagles’ defense got the third out to limit the damage. Tiemeyer picked up a leadoff walk to start the bottom of the third and would steal home on a passed ball to tie the game 4-4.
The Eagles’ pitching tightened up in the top of the fourth, with two strikeouts and forcing a groundout to limit the Atwood offense to a three-up-three-down inning. Easton Knoettgen was the sole Eagle baserunner with a single and would be left on first.
The Eagles’ pitching and defense clutched up in the top of the fifth, allowing only one baserunner, and with a well-timed read to third, caught an Atwood player stealing. Zahm scored the go-ahead run on a Brayden Burnett sacrifice fly, with Joy being left on second as the Eagles ended the fifth with a one-run lead.
Atwood tied the game with a two-out steal of home on a passed ball to tie the game 5-5, with the Eagles’ offense being kept in check and unable to score.
Entering the seventh inning, the Eagles’ Tiemeyer handed Atwood two strikeouts and forced a groundout to make it a three-up-three-down inning. Tiemeyer then hit a double in the bottom of the inning, with Zahm getting intentionally walked to set up a potential double-play to end the inning. But a double steal by the Eagles would ruin those plans, before a Joy single to the outfield brought home Tiemeyer to end the game and their season with a 6-5 walk-off victory.
