34 hits, 2 more wins for CCA

CENTER POINT -- When you face Clear Creek Amana, you have nowhere to hide.

Top to bottom, there are no weak spots in the Clippers' lineup. Nobody to pitch around. No time to rest.

Class 4A top-ranked CCA pounded out 17 hits in each game and swept 3A No. 7 Center Point-Urbana, 14-4 and 16-1, in a Wamac Conference West Division softball double-header Monday at Center Point-Urbana High School.

The second game lasted just four innings.

Clear Creek Amana (19-0 overall, 6-0 Wamac West) extended its win streak to 32 games; the Clippers last loss was June 30, 2011, against Solon.

"When we start hitting, it's contagious," said leadoff hitter Fran Strub, who was 6-for-8 with a home run and seven RBIs. "Any one person can start a rally. It's a lot of fun."

CCA came into the twinbill with a robust team batting average of .452. It went up Monday after a 34-for-67 performance.

Five Clippers posted at least four hits.

Mallory Madsen was 5-for-8. Caitlin Wnek was 4-for-8 with five RBIs and a homer. Maliah Fligg was 4-for-6. And Mallory Neubauer -- the No. 8 hitter -- was 4-for-6.

Nowhere to hide. No time to rest.

Center Point-Urbana (12-5, 4-2) came into Monday's play dead-even with the Clippers atop the divisional standings. But CCA stung the Stormin' Pointers early in both games.

The Clippers struck for seven runs in the top of the first inning of Game 1. Wnek highlighted the deluge with a three-run home run.

It was 10-0 in the middle of the second, and the Clippers coasted from there.

In Game 2, it was more of a steady burn. CCA scored three in the first, four in the second, two in the third, seven in the fourth.

Strub's three-run homer, on a 3-0 count in the second inning, made it 6-1.

"I get the green light unless the other pitcher can't find the zone," Strub said. "I don't go swinging at everything. I'm looking for a good pitch."

Jim White, who has coached CCA to six state titles, said several of his players are allowed to swing at 3-0. Wnek ripped an RBI single on that count Monday.

"It depends on the situation," White said. "Everything pitch, we're thinking yes, yes, yes."

Kylie Wilson homered for Center Point-Urbana in the opener.

Game 1

R

H

E

Clear Creek Amana

7 3 0

0 3 0

1

--

14

17

1

Center Point-Urbana

0 1 0

2 1 0

--

4

6

5

Mariah McKinnon and Cassie Downes. Samantha Croghan and Elizabeth Hearn. W -- McKinnon (6-0). L -- Croghan (10-3). HR -- CCA: Caitlin Wnek (6); CPU: Kylie Wilson (3).

Maliah Fligg and Cassie Downes. Arika Wooldridge and Elizabeth Hearn. W -- Fligg (13-0). L -- Wooldridge (2-2). HR -- CCA: Fran Strub (3).

Game 2

R

H

E

Clear Creek Amana

3 4 2

7

--

16

17

1

Center Point-Urbana

1 0 0

--

1

2

4