CLARKSVILLE — Providence pitchers Meredith Endris and Sierra Collett combined to shut down the New Albany offense in a 2-1 victory at home on Tuesday.

“I was just really impressed with both of my pitchers today, Meredith and then Sierra,” Providence coach Sean Payne said. “Sierra was a New Albany girl going through her grade school years, so it was good to see her come in and pitch well. It meant a lot to a lot of these girls.”

New Albany stranded 11 baserunners in the game, including four in the first two innings. The Bulldogs manufactured their only run in the top of the first.

“I was proud of the way we put the bat on the ball, but we lost the game mentally,” New Albany coach Steve Belden said. “During the first couple innings, we had some mental breakdowns that we can’t have, because when you face — I felt Providence did a real nice job with changing up the pitchers and putting the ball in play.

“I can’t take anything away from Providence. But mentally, we weren’t in the game and we didn’t take advantage of their mistakes. You’ve got to be able to do that. And they took advantage of ours. That was the difference in the game.”

Leading off the game, New Albany’s Sydney Rudy took first base on an infield single when she beat out the throw from Providence shortstop Jordyn Stengel.

An out later, Rudy stole second and Endris walked the Bulldogs’ Mady Baumann. It looked like Providence would be able to keep the pressure off when Brittany Jones grounded back to Endris. But the Pioneers’ Kelsey Bedan couldn’t handle Endris’ throw at third on the fielder’s choice, allowing Rudy to score and the runners to move up to second and third.

But Endris got out of the jam when New Albany’s Jamie Whitten grounded to third and Bedan looked back the runners before throwing her out at first. The Bulldogs’ Hannah Morton struck out swinging to end the threat.

Providence struck back in the home first. Morgan Boone drew a walk to open the frame and found herself on third on back-to-back stolen bases during Stengel’s at-bat. Morton looked like she might be able to keep Boone at third with back-to-back strikeouts of Stengel and Adrienne Voelker. But Pioneer designated player Lillian Hughes poked a single into shallow center to bring Boone home and tie the game.

Providence took the lead in the next inning. Taylor Rockey singled to lead off the inning and got to third on passed balls during Bedan’s at-bat. New Albany called a timeout to discuss the problem, and that’s when Providence schemed the second run.

Bedan put down a bunt down the first-base line that was collected by Whitten. Whitten applied the tag to Bedan, but her throw to New Albany catcher Abby Litkenhous was too late to prevent Rockey from recording the second run.

“We had a safety squeeze on there, and that was a senior and a senior, so I felt really confident,” Payne said. “New Albany called time actually, and gave us an opportunity to set it up. They both executed, which you expect your seniors to.”

Endris moved to first base to make way for Collett in the top of the fourth with two out. Collett walked Rudy to put runners on first and second, but struck out Halee Kaiser to end the inning. The Bulldogs had trouble catching up with Collett’s velocity the rest of the way.

“I’ve got to give it to the two pitchers. They did a masterful job,” Belden said. “When they had to get an out, they got an out.”

Providence prevented New Albany from tying the game in the fifth on a fortunate bounce and a great play by Rockey. With Whitten standing on second and two down, Morton scorched a line drive into right field. But Rockey collected it on one bounce and threw a strike to Endris at first for the force to end the threat.

“It was a huge play. That credit goes to (Providence assistant) coach Chad Stengel,” Payne said. “He’s really practiced on that with our players, almost every day. Me being more of a baseball guy, I was yelling (to throw it home). But Taylor, being a senior, knew what to do with it, and just threw it to first base and got the out.”

“The ball was hit flat right at her. It was a rocket,” Belden said. “Had that ball been 5 feet one way or the other, that probably would have skipped by, with the wet grass and stuff, and it would have been a whole different ballgame. Taylor Rockey did a real nice job. She did exactly what she was supposed to do.”

Hughes had Providence’s best game at the plate with a single, a double and an RBI in a 2-for-3 performance.

Rudy was New Albany’s best offensive weapon, reaching base on a single, an error and a walk. She stole a base and scored the team’s only run.

New Albany (7-7) hosts South Central today. Providence (8-8) travels to Charlestown today.



NEW ALBANY    100 000 0—1 7 2

PROVIDENCE    110 000 x—2 6 3

W — Endris (5-3). L — Morton (2-3). 2B — Hughes (P).

Records — New Albany 7-7, Providence 8-8.