“Anytime you can score 32 runs in two games, you should win both of those games.”
That statement from Jay Babb sums up the final week of Malcolm’s softball season, as pitching and defense faltered down the stretch, costing the Clippers a chance to extend the season another week.
Malcolm hosted what became a most unusual C-10 Subdistrict on Oct. 6. With rain beginning the previous afternoon and lasting throughout game day, the home field in Malcolm was unplayable. Rather than postpone, the subdistrict was moved to the turf fields at Lincoln’s Sandhills Global Youth Complex, where all three games were played in less-than-favorable conditions with steady drizzle and temperatures in the 50s.
With balls being changed after nearly every at-bat due to grip issues, pitchers struggled with control while throwing was an adventure for fielders as scores climbed in the marathon opener that lasted more than three hours — with Malcolm outlasting Syracuse, 19-18.
Through three innings, the Clippers led 14-5, just one run shy of a mercy rule. That’s when the Syracuse offense came alive, outscoring Malcolm 13-1 over the next three frames to take an 18-15 lead into the seventh.
A wild bottom of the seventh, highlighted by six Malcolm hits, culminated in a Sam Back single that brought Morgan Tiedeman across for the walk-off win.
“I’ve never coached in a three-plus-hour game,” Babb said. “But what a way to finish. There was still some refuse-to-lose left in our team.”
After waiting in the rain through game two, the final pitted the Clippers against a talented Twin River squad led by one of the state’s best players, JLee Van Driel. In another rain-soaked thriller, the Titans were one better, topping Malcolm 14-13.
“Overall, we competed with a good team,” Babb said. “But we can’t give up 15 hits and expect to win.”
Despite finishing runner-up in the subdistrict, Malcolm earned a wildcard berth to the district finals and traveled to Boelus on Oct. 10 to face Centura, where the Clippers fell 13-5 and 13-1 to end the season.
Malcolm led 5-1 midway through the third inning of game one before the Diamonds scored 12 unanswered to end it early by run rule.
“We made a couple of errors and things fell apart after that,” Babb said. “At that point, we quit playing as a team, and there was no fixing it. I’ve preached all year that the only thing that can destroy this team is this team.”
At 14-15, the Clippers’ record was the best in Babb’s three years at the helm. He’ll lose five seniors from this squad.
“My group of seniors had some fantastic accomplishments,” he said. “Grace Green worked her tail off to become an efficient catcher who could swing it. Mady Wall played almost every position and played them well. Sam Back stepped in to fill big shoes and did a great job. Olivia Seitz learned a ton and became a solid starter at first base. And how Mikiah Witzel came off an injury and worked her way back into the lineup was spectacular.”
