Freshman’s clutch home run backs Selker’s strong pitching as Freeport edges Deer Lakes

By: Nathan Breisinger
Friday, April 19, 2024 | 7:40 PM

In her third plate appearance of the game, Leah Clark was still trying to fight off nerves. It was a one-run game in the bottom of the sixth inning, and she had been retired in her first two trips to the plate.

Then, the freshman calmed down by reminding herself that she has been doing this since she was little.

With her Freeport team leading by one against No. 3 Deer Lakes, all she wanted to do was put the ball in play. Not only did she get her barrel on it, she drilled the ball over the left-center field fence for her first career home run.

“I just went up and was like, ‘I just got to hit the ball.’ I just want to make my team proud and help my team win the game,” Clark said.

After the ball landed over the fence, her teammates and the fans watching at Freeport Community Park went into a frenzy as the Yellowjackets utilized the home run to defeat the Lancers, 2-0, in Section 1-3A.

Coach Ron DeJidas said he couldn’t help but think about all the work Clark had put in to get to that moment.

“We only lost one girl from last year,” he said. “She battled, she fought and she found herself in the lineup and she’s doing a terrific job. She got a pitch and put a good swing on it.

“That’s the most exciting thing to watch her round the bases and just see the joy on her face. She was so pumped, and she should be.”

Freeport starting pitcher Sydney Selker and her teammates rushed out to celebrate with Clark after she hit the momentous home run.

“That was amazing,” Selker said. “Leah’s pretty inexperienced, so it was good to see her bust out of her shell. I was pretty emotional for her. As a team, we responded very positively in response to that.”

With a jolt of energy running through the squad, Selker returned to the circle to close out a commanding day that saw her strike out 14 and allow just five hits.

“She keeps getting better. I said it the other day: She’s not a one-trick pony,” DeJidas said. “She’s got speed, she’s got great spin and she can change speeds so well. She keeps batters so off balanced.”

The Akron commit made the Lancers put the ball on the ground and prevented them from any extra-base hits.

“My curveball and changeup worked the most,” Selker said. “I really spun my curveball to make it break more because they are good hitters. I would bust them inside, too, with the screwball, so I was working in and out of the plate and off speeds, which kept them off balanced.”

Before the Yellowjackets (5-4, 2-2) doubled their lead, Selker escaped a jam in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and second, Selker did not want a repeat of what occurred the last time she faced the Lancers (7-4, 4-2).

On April 5, Tia Germanich hit a three-run homer to lift the Lancers over the Yellowjackets, but this time, Freeport opted for the intentional walk. Selker came up clutch against the following batter, Avery Rethage, by getting her to go down swinging to end the inning.

“I was super confident. I went in there like, ‘Two strikes, get this last runner and go in the dugout,’ ” Selker said. “I knew if I was going to get that hitter out, our momentum was going to be up, so I looked at that hitter and was like, ‘I’m going to get you out.’ ”

When Selker did allow runners on base, her reliable catcher, Reese Selker, who also happens to be her sister, threw out two would-be base-stealers.

“Reese and I already have a pretty strong connection, so with her being my catcher, I know I can trust her behind the plate,” Sydney said. “Whenever I know a runner’s going, I know she’s going to throw them out.”

Reminiscent of the first matchup between the two, Freeport got on the board early thanks to a leadoff home run in the first from Abby DeJidas.

After allowing the early round-tripper, Deer Lakes pitcher Maddie Kee settled in. She fanned 12 in a complete game while allowing two runs on five hits and two walks.

“Maddie pitched a great game,” Deer Lakes coach Rick Cerra said. “It just came down to the hitting.”

Tags: Deer Lakes, Freeport