Coach Tom Clemments has never won 10 games in a row as a coach.

Saturday, May 05, 2001

Coach Tom Clemments has never won 10 games in a row as a coach.

He’s won nine games twice in a row with different teams he has coached, but never 10 – until Friday.

The Lyle/Pacelli girls softball team has banished forever Clemments nine-win streak and losing the 10th game. On Friday, they defeated Mabel-Canton in a doubleheader at Mabel-Canton.

In the first inning of game one, Lyle/Pacelli made 12 runs. The Mabel-Canton pitcher, Nicole Posture, struggled through the inning until another pitcher was brought in and Erin Evans hit a double.

"This just took the wind out of them," Clemments said. "We had 16 runs, 10 hits and one error in the first game. They had no runs, one hit and two errors.’

Carrie Lief was two for four, Joan Sheedy was two for three and Erin Evans was two for three with two RBI along with her double.

Lief scored right away in the second game. According to Clemments, the girls had a harder time keeping focused after taking over the opposition in the first game.

"It is hard to come back in a doubleheader and stay focused. They have quality athletes at Mabel-Canton. they have won in volleyball and basketball. We couldn’t take them lightly," Clemments said.

The second game was extremely close with Lyle/Pacelli winning, 3-2.

Clemments credits pitcher Amy Bickler for the wins. She had only one walk in each game. During game two, it started to rain and Clemments says when it rains during a game it is an equalizer.

"But," he stressed," Lyle/Pacelli has an advantage over their opponent because we have a pitcher who is a pitcher."

Clemments feels the girls didn’t play to the best of their abilities in the second game as they had five errors and no runs earned. But Clemments was bursting with pride over the girls’ 10 wins.

"Our level of competition is strong," the coach said. "We are a state-contending team. We are the best team in the Southeast Conference. We will win the conference. We have only three conference games left and we have played some tough teams like Spring Grove and Glenville-Emmons. This is something the girls can be really proud of."

Lyle/Pacelli plays Tuesday at Grand Meadow/Leroy-Ostrander.

Call Sheila Donnelly at 434-2214 or e-mail her at sports@austindailyherald.com.