Poplar Bluff posts 7-0 victory vs. Red Devils

Chaffee's second fall softball campaign has brought with it an expanded schedule.

The Red Devils joined the SEMO Conference this season and thus added Central, Jackson, Kelly and Poplar Bluff to their schedule.

Through its first three conference games, Chaffee (4-2) had won two, but the Red Devils ran into a road block at home Wednesday against Poplar Bluff. Kristen Ploetze no-hit Chaffee and added a two-run home run in a 7-0 win which snapped Chaffee's four-game winning streak.

"It just was not our day today," Chaffee coach Debbie Lewis said. "We've had a good start so far. We just have to bounce back from this."

Chaffee simply looked out of sync early on Wednesday. Red Devils starter Courtney Walter lasted just two-plus innings. Walter struck out the first batter of the game, but a single and a stolen base was followed by Ploetze's drive over the center fielder's head for an inside-the-park home run.

Poplar Bluff (3-0) added an unearned run in the first with an error and a wild pitch. Walter struck out the side in the second but had to get four outs after a runner reached on a third-strike wild pitch. Ploetze's triple and an RBI bunt single chased Walter in the third.

The Mules scored three runs in all in the third, with all three coming off questionable Chaffee plays. Poplar Bluff scored twice on bunt hits, with both runners breaking to home after the ball was thrown to first. The third run scored on a wild pitch.

Lewis said her team simply had trouble making plays which are usually routine for them.

"As a defense we fell apart today," she said.

Whitney Horrell, who replaced Walter, allowed one more run in the fourth on four walks. Horrell kept the Mules off the board the rest of the way, but only managed one perfect inning in the seventh.

Ploetze allowed her first base runner on an error in the fourth, and allowed only two more in the game on another error and a walk. Overall, Ploetze struck out nine and walked one over seven innings.

"We didn't have trouble hitting her, we just hit it right to people," Lewis said.

Walter and Horrell combined for nine strikeouts, but Horrell also walked seven.

Chaffee will have nearly a week off before it travels to Perryville on Tuesday. The Red Devils will have another shot at Poplar Bluff a week from Thursday.

"Hopefully the next time we play them we can play a better ball game," Lewis said.

Poplar Bluff 7, Chaffee 0

Poplar Bluff 303 100 0 -- 7 8 2

Chaffee 000 000 0 -- 0 0 1

WP -- Kristen Ploetze. LP -- Courtney Walter, 1-1. HR -- Ploetze (P), . 3B -- Ploetze (P). Multiple hits -- Poplar Bluff, Ploetze 2-3. Records -- Chaffee 4-2, Poplar Bluff 3-0.