High school softball: Cloverleaf wins again on new field of dreams

WESTFIELD TWP. — Not only does the new turf softball field at Cloverleaf look incredible, it also might be the reason for the Colts' hot start after they remained unbeaten with a 12-2 five-inning win over North Olmsted on Wednesday. Due to the turf field replacing the old grass field, Cloverleaf (3-0) has been able to practice almost any time it has wanted since tryouts began Feb 16. "It's an absolute game-changer," coach Blair Shimandle said after the non-league victory. "We were out here on the first day of tryouts. We weren't out here a year ago just because of the field struggling to drain. We might have been able to get here like maybe once in the past, and a lot of times the first time on the dirt was our first game. So this is 100% a game-changer. It's a huge deal. "We've been out here so much. There are so many things we've been able to work on this year that we've never been able to do, just because we've been able to do it in an actual game situation on the field." Being able to get out on the field early also allowed the Colts to get used to their new digs and see how the ball would bounce and how the turf would feel under their feet. "We've had a lot of practice since it is turf," said second baseman Caroline Sitko, who had a single, a triple, an RBI and scored two runs. "It's just such a fun experience, and especially to be a senior and being the first team on the field to get this field, it's very cool and a unique experience." Something else Sitko has figured out is how to slide, as she did multiple times on the base paths against North Olmsted. "It's more of a true bounce on the turf, and it's more reliable than sliding in the dirt," Sitko said. "I feel more comfortable." Senior Alyson Croft tossed five innings, allowing two unearned runs on five hits while striking out seven and throwing 53 strikes to just 15 balls. With this being her second time pitching on the new turf, she noted a difference in the circle, as she did not have much experience pitching on turf. "I think it's a lot different because of the way you hit the ground," she said. "On dirt, you just stop and on turf, you kind of have a little slide to it, and you almost have to force yourself back instead of just going forwards. And a plus of the turf is that there's no hole that you have to worry about filling in or moving around from other pitchers." Croft made her presence felt at the plate as well, belting a three-run home run to right center in the third inning to give the Colts a 5-2 lead after North Olmsted had tied game with two runs in the top of the inning. "I was glad that I hit that so early on in the season because last year, it took me a while to get my bat going," Croft said. "I'm proud of myself. I feel like I don't know if I can say that, but I'm proud of myself. And I think our team as a whole, we all just hit well today, we picked each other up." The Colts collected 11 hits, including five extra-base hits, and eight players had at least one. Croft, Sitko and Cheyanne Bachtell had two hits each, while Pacey Crow, Aubrey Willig, Kennadie Prok, Madelyn Sweitzer and Brooklyn Netwon had one apiece. The game was the third the Colts have played on the new field — they swept a doubleheader against Smithville on Saturday — which has a dark brown infield and a two-toned outfield with a huge Cloverleaf logo in the middle of center field. "We can't thank our (school) district enough on just making this happen and making sure that we had some of the best facilities around," Shimandle said. "It's a very special place." Contact Ryan Isley at sports@medina-gazette.com. Cloverleaf 12, North Olmsted 2 (5 inn.) NORTH OLMSTED&emsp;002 00 — 2 5 1 CLOVERLEAF&emsp;206 12 — 12 11 1 WP — Alyson Croft (2-0) 5 innings, 0 earned runs, 7 strikeouts. LP — Julianna Demain (0-1) 3 innings, 9 runs, 9 earned, 8 hits, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts. North Olmsted (0-1) — Jocelyn Suckart 2 singles, RBI. Cloverleaf (3-0) — Alyson Croft single, home run, 3 RBI, run; Pacey Crow single, walk, 2 runs; Cheyanne Bachtell double, triple, walk, 3 runs; Aubrey Willig single, walk, hit by pitch, 3 runs; Caroline Sitko single, triple, RBI, 2 runs; Kennadie Prok triple, RBI, run.