Cleveland pounds Klein Forest 14-3
The Cleveland Lady Indians pose before taking the field against Klein Forest on Thursday night at home. The Vindicator | Jerry Michalsky
CLEVELAND- It’s always nice to start your own tournament with a nice win and the Lady Indians did just that on Thursday night at the Hal McClelland Sports Complex with a 14-3 pounding of Klein Forest.
Gabriela Rodriguez and Khloe Fussell each had three RBI’s while Chelsea Sauceda and Destaney Leal finished with three hits to lead the 12-hit attack.
After the Lady Eagles scored a run in the top of the first, Cleveland went to work in their first at-bat. Fussell walked and then a single by Gracie Brandon and a walk to Abigail Martinez loaded the bases. Fussell tied the score at 1 by coming home on a wild pitch. Sauceda made it 2-1 with an RBI single and then an RBI groundout by Kristen Driver increased the score to 3-1.
Klein Forest cut the deficit to 3-2 in the second and then the Lady Indians exploded for nine runs in the bottom half of the frame. Cleveland had eight hits in the inning. Martinez, Valerie Brown, and Sauceda all had RBI singles and then a two-run single by Rodriguez made the score 9-2. After a Leal single loaded the bases, Fussell smoked a pitch into the gap to clear the bases for a 3-run double and the Lady Indians were cruising at 12-2.
Cleveland added two more in the third with an RBI single by Driver and a fielder’s choice RBI by Rodriguez for the final 14-3.
Driver got the win on the mound and finished with 8 strikeouts. Brandon added two hits for the Lady Indians.
This weekend will be the annual Cleveland Rotary Tournament.