Clarksville, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Kirkwood High School softball Pitcher Maddie Ratcliff threw the first no-hitter in Cobras softball history in the season opener, defeating Jo Byrns High School on Thursday night, 12-0.
“What makes this no-hitter special to me as a coach and a dad is watching an athlete who doesn’t have their best stuff that night go out and find a way to dominate by commanding the zone,” said Kirkwood head coach Marcus Ratcliff. “Maddie only struck out one hitter through five innings, yet her location and moving the ball to the right location was the key to her success.
“Our defense was stellar. Being a second-year team, coach KJ and I are able to witness a bond taking place amongst his team that believes in and plays the game for each other. It’s great to see those things come together on the first night of what looks to be a great season for this team.”
Ratcliff not only dominated in the circle but had a strong defense behind her. For Ratcliff, the comfort of knowing she had a solid defense behind her allowed to attack hitters in creative ways.
“Throwing a no-hitter to me means that my defense fully had my back during the game,” said Maddie Ratcliff. “I was able to work counts and throw the pitches I wanted them to hit instead of feeling obligated to blow it by them. Overall my defense was a defining factor in my performance.”
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