Brownsville’s Clark records 600th career strikeout
Ava Clark keeps climbing the ladder.
The Brownsville senior softball pitcher surpassed 500 career strikeouts last year and had broken the Lady Falcons’ team record before that.
On Monday the right-hander rang up strikeout No. 600 of her career in firing a four-inning, two-hit shutout as Brownsville blanked host California, 15-0, in a Section 4-2A game.
“Grateful to have the opportunity to hit this milestone my senior year,” Clark said. “I’m always striving to reach new goals alongside my teammates.
“I made a list my freshman year and I’m really blessed to have crossed them all off.”
Except one.
“My final goal is maybe get to 700,” Clark said. “But I don’t feel any pressure this season like I have to prove myself. I’m just trying to work on my pitches and get stronger and get ready for college.”
Clark is a PennWest California recruit.
Strikeout No. 600 came in the third inning against the Lady Trojans.
“I struck her out on a drop ball,” said Clark, who throws five different pitches. “I really like throwing the curve ball and the rise ball.”
Eight of the 12 outs Clark recorded against California came on strikeouts as she helped Brownsville improve to 2-1 in the section and 4-2 overall.
While she’s reached just about all of her individual goals, Clark still has a team goal to strive for.
“I definitely want us to make the playoffs again,” Clark said. “We have kind of a young team but we’re getting stronger. They’ve all worked hard all year. They’ve been hitting more and doing a good job behind me this year.”
Brownsville’s section is very competitive and also includes Bentworth, Frazier, Waynesburg Central and Washington in addition to California. The top four teams qualify for the postseason. The Lady Falcons are looking to get into the playoffs for the second year in a row.
Clark is not only an outstanding pitcher but a good hitter also. She helped herself with the bat against the Lady Trojans with three hits and three RBIs.
Lyla Gill also had three hits along with an RBI for the Lady Falcons, who also got two hits and three RBIs from Zaydee Downer and two singles and an RBI from Tavan Ternitsky.
Olivia Lenkey took the loss for the Lady Trojans (0-3, 0-6).
Clark pointed out an addition to the coaching staff by head coach Jane Bock that’s had a positive affect on her team.
“We added a new assistant coach, Albert VanDivner, who’s been working with us since January,” Clark said. “He really helps out with everything but especially hitting and defense. I can tell our team has improved a lot with him. I know I’m hitting a little better this year because of him.”
Clark hit another milestone in a different sport earlier this school year. She scored her 1,000th career point on Dec. 30 for Brownsville’s girls basketball team, and was also chosen to play in the Roundball Classic.
“Now that I’m graduating and have a chance to look back at everything I did, it is kind of amazing,” Clark said. “That was really rewarding to get 600 strikeouts, and then 1,000 points in basketball, I’m proud of that, too.
“It was always in the back of my mind. I knew if I worked hard enough for it I could do all those things.”