Raleigh News & Observer Logo

Hits keep coming for Clayton softball team in win over Knightdale | Raleigh News & Observer

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Support
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • FAQ
    • Sponsorships
    • Stay connected
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Facebook
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • Social Media Directory
    • N&O Store
    • Buy Photos
    • Databases
    • Archives
    • Newsletters

    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Health
    • Local
    • North Carolina
    • Nation/World
    • Science
    • Thumbs Up
    • Traffic
    • Weather
    • Weird News
    • All News
    • Counties
    • Durham County
    • Johnston County
    • Orange County
    • Wake County
    • All Sports
    • Baseball
    • Canes
    • College
    • Columns & Blogs
    • High Schools
    • NASCAR & Auto Racing
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • NHL
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Panthers
    • Soccer
    • Schools
    • Duke
    • East Carolina
    • NC State
    • North Carolina
    • All Politics
    • The North Carolina Influencer Series
    • State Politics
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • PolitiFact
    • PolitiFact NC
    • Rob Christensen
    • Under the Dome
    • All Business
    • Blogs
    • Columnists
    • Health Care
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Shop Talk
    • Stocks Center
    • Technology
    • All Living
    • Video Now
    • Best-Kept Secrets
    • Blogs
    • Celebrations
    • Comics
    • Family
    • Fashion
    • Fitness
    • Food
    • Games and Puzzles
    • Home and Garden
    • Horoscopes
    • Mouthful
    • Past Times
    • Pets
    • Religion
    • Travel
    • Video Now
    • Arts News
    • ArtsNow
    • Books
    • Contests
    • Dining
    • Entertainment
    • Games
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Television
    • On the Beat
    • Happiness is a Warm TV
    • All Opinion
    • Columnists
    • Dwane Powell
    • Editorials
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Letters
    • Opinion Shop Blog
    • Other Views
    • Submit a Letter
  • Obituaries

    • Advertise with us
    • Place Ad
    • Apartments
    • Cars
    • Homes
    • Jobs
    • Legals
    • Obits/In Memoriams
    • Weddings
    • Today's Daily Deal
    • Special Sections
    • Today's Circulars
    • Rewards
    • Photo Store
  • Classifieds
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Cars
  • Homes
  • Legals

Eastern Wake News

Hits keep coming for Clayton softball team in win over Knightdale

By Michael Held

Correspondent

    ORDER REPRINT →

March 19, 2015 01:45 PM

CLAYTON

A night after a potent offensive showing led to a non-conference win, the Clayton softball team hosted Knightdale in its Greater Neuse River Conference home opener looking to continue brandishing formidable lumber.

The hits did indeed keep on coming for the Comets as they dispatched of the Knights 16-1.

Taeya Moloney was 3-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs batted in and Kortnie Blanchard, Kayla Marshburn and Mindy North all had two-hit games as Clayton looked dangerous from the top to the bottom of its lineup.

It was the fourth time in the team’s first handful of games this season that Clayton posted at least 10 runs.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

“Up and down the line, they’re hitting well,” said Clayton coach Britney Kudlawiec, who was pleased with the results after continuing to tinker with the lineup in the early stages of the season. “They’re seeing the ball well and they’re adjusting to pitching changes well.”

Despite conceding 12 Clayton hits, Knightdale’s cause was hindered by some self-inflicted mistakes. The Knights committed six errors that were central to the Comets’ big innings, including a nine-run fourth that helped end the night early due to the 10-run mercy rule.

“That’s what happens most times, it just turns into contagious errors,” said Knightdale first-year coach Clifton Davis. “We’ve only had maybe one solid practice with all of this snow and rain. They’ve got a tough team but we’ve just got to work on our fundamentals. Practice makes permanent.”

The Knights (1-3 overall, 0-2 GNRC) jumped out on top early thanks to an Erica Edwards RBI single that scored sophomore Taylor Rabitz, who had reached base earlier in the top of the opening frame with a walk.

That, however, would be the only hit that the Knights would register in the five-inning contest. As the Comets (4-1, 2-0) began finding holes and taking advantage of Knightdale miscues to quickly build a sizable advantage, Clayton’s Hannah Ryan silenced the bats of the visitors.

“We started out strong,” Davis said. “It seems like every time we start out strong and keep the score the tight, then it starts with just one error, turns into a blooper hit here or there and the little mental things … we’ve just got to work on the mental issues.”

As for Ryan, there were little issues all night as the sophomore hurler earned her second win in as many starts.

After allowing the lone run in the first inning, Ryan settled in and retired eight of the next nine batters with the lone exception being Cassie Tyson, who reached base on a catcher’s interference call.

“Coming in to the first home conference game, I wanted to give her a shot out here,” Kudlawiec said of Ryan. “She looked awesome. She’s throwing hard, she’s hitting her spots – she’s strong.”

Ryan finished with nine strikeouts to just two walks.

  Comments  

Videos

What is a goal to have when you hit 103?

Neuse River close to 25-foot flood stage in Smithfield

View More Video

Trending Stories

UNC will have two players out against Wake Forest, possibly three, depending on Nassir Little

February 15, 2019 03:40 PM

Hurricane Florence killed millions of chickens and turkeys. Now farmers are putting them to use.

February 16, 2019 08:29 AM

Mother said police pointed gun at 6-year-old with autism. Raleigh police say watch video.

February 15, 2019 12:18 PM

Protect tourism or give schools flexibility? The calendar fight is raging again in NC.

February 15, 2019 10:56 AM

What to Watch on Friday: A new Ted Bundy 20/20 doc and a new Kelsey Grammer series

February 15, 2019 07:00 AM

Read Next

Murray-Sanderson

Eastern Wake: Celebrations

Murray-Sanderson

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to The News & Observer

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE EASTERN WAKE NEWS

After car chase and search, Wake man accused of having 27.8 pounds of marijuana

Crime

After car chase and search, Wake man accused of having 27.8 pounds of marijuana

July 17, 2017 11:49 AM
Selling pot to a teen is among several drug charges for Wendell man

Crime

Selling pot to a teen is among several drug charges for Wendell man

June 30, 2017 12:09 PM

Crime

Multiagency Wake County searches of parolees, probationers lead to 41 arrests

June 29, 2017 11:28 AM
ZMS students participate in leadership, writing workshops

Eastern Wake: Community

ZMS students participate in leadership, writing workshops

June 13, 2017 10:42 AM

Eastern Wake: Community

Notables: June 13

June 13, 2017 10:54 AM
Student who shared her story of being homeless gets outpouring of support

Education

Student who shared her story of being homeless gets outpouring of support

June 09, 2017 03:24 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Raleigh News & Observer App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Triangletoday.com
  • Legal Notices
Advertising
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Our Ads
  • Place a Classified
  • Local Deals
  • N&O Store
  • N&O Photos
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Report News
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use


Back to Story