ST. CLAIRSVILLE shortstop Abby Salisbury throws to first for an out during Wednesday’s Division II sectional co-final at Indian Valley High School in Gnadenhutten. Salisbury had two hits, scored two runs and had a RBI, but the Red Devils fell to the Braves, 13-5.

GNADENHUTTEN — St. Clairsville’s softball team has dealt with the ‘one-bad inning’ syndrome seemingly every game it’s played this spring.

Both halves of the first inning proved to be the ultimate undoing for the Red Devils (8-13) in a 13-5 setback against second-seeded Indian Valley Wednesday afternoon in a Division II district quarterfinal.

“We had girls on bases, but couldn’t get a key hit and then they started hitting us and we had some errors,” Red Devils head coach John Jaskowiak said.

That was a totally accurate description of the first inning.

In the top of the first, the first four hitters reached despite only Dekotah Namack putting the ball in play on a bunt, which resulted in a fielder’s choice without an out.

However, only Jenna Jaskowiak — who walked to lead off the game — came around to score. She crossed home plate after talented freshman Rachel Finnical induced bases-loaded walk.

The next three hitters all were sat down by Braves pitcher Mia Rose via the strikeout.

The Red Devils weren’t as fortunate in the home of the first.

Jenna Jaskowiak gave up back-to-back hits to open the game, including a ringing triple to straightaway center by Katie Deardorff to begin the inning. She was promptly driven home by Taylor Spillman with a single.

However, Jaskowiak got the next two outs without much trouble. The Red Devils, however, were unable to get out of the inning. The next six Braves hitters reached and all scored thanks to seven hits and three St. C. errors.

All told, Indian Valley owned an 8-1 lead after a first inning, which lasted more than 35 minutes of real time.

“Those errors really hurt,” Coach Jaskowiak said. “It was a tough way to start.”

St. Clairsville by no means went away quietly. The Red Devils scored a pair in both the third and fourth innings, but the Braves countered with three in the home half of the third.

The Red Devils’ offense received another impressive performance from sophomore Abby Salisbury. She had two singles, a double, scored two runs and drove one in. Namack had a two-hit performance, including a RBI double in the fourth.

“It’s a tough loss, but we’ll rebound and come back (strong) next year,” Jaskowiak said. “We were feeling pretty good with three straight wins coming into this game, but they outhit us.”

Quite simply, Indian Valley was just too much. The Braves offense pounded out 14 hits off Jaskowiak. Deadorff was the big stick. She came up a double shy of the cycle and drove in a pair.

Rose worked six innings before giving way to the bullpen to earn the pitching win. She struck out 10, but had some command issues. She issued four walks and plunked two hitters.