DiCiccio drives in 5 including 4 in 14-run fourth as Stephenville sails

Flash Staff Report
TheFlashToday.com

(February 20, 2018) — Stephenville scored 14 runs in the third inning and went on to dismiss host Clifton 16-1 in a game lasting five innings Monday.

Morgan DiCiccio drove in five runs while going 3-for-5 with a triple and a pair of singles. She gave Cisco College reason to be excited to welcome her aboard in the third inning alone, when she batted twice, clearing the loaded bases with a triple then singling in another runner for a 4-RBI inning by herself. She also drove in the clinching run in the fifth.

Clifton held a brief 1-0 lead after the first and Stephenville tied it in the second. The mercy rule calls for conclusion if a lead is 15 runs after three innings, but it was 15-1 until DiCiccio’s base knock in the fifth. The Lady Cubs were then sat down quietly in the home half of the fifth to end the proceedings.

The exciting third began with a double by Julia Flores, who took third on a passed ball and beat a throw home on a single by Bianka Garcia. Jessica Ebeling drove in Garcia moments later wih a fielder’s choice after a stolen base and passed ball placed Garcia at third, and the Bees had  taken control with a 3-1 advantage.

Then after Madison Gilder flew out to center field, it got ugly. Really ugly for the Clifton side.

Two walks and a single set the stage for DiCiccio to blow it wide open with a triple for a 8-1 lead, then Luna walked before Flores doubled for the second time in the inning. Garcia singled again before four consecutive walks and then a strikeout leading up to the DiCiccio single to make it 15-1.

Luna singled and Flores walked to juice the bases again, but a fly out denied the Honeybees the opportunity to gain a lead of at least 15 runs and end it in three innings.

Flores went the whole way in the circle, allowing a run on two hits and a walk while striking out five. She also reached base three times – all in the third – finishing 2-for-4 with the walk, driving in two runs and also scoring two.

Garcia was also 2-for-4 with 2 RBI and 2 runs.