A new face in the Clinton lineup paid off big Thursday as the Lady Arrows pounded out 24 hits in ripping Warren Central 16-4 at Lady Vikes Field.

Clinton senior Patty Collins made her first start of the season after missing the end of the fast-pitch season and most of the slow-pitch season with an injury.

Collins went 4-for-5, but her a mere presence helped coach Allen Lunceford field a stronger lineup.

“Putting (Collins) in the four hole made a big difference,” Lunceford said. “Then our little drill from Wednesday’s practice helped. Instead of having weak pop ups and grounders, we were getting soft liners to fall for hits.”

WC coach Lucy Young was impressed with Clinton’s hitting.

“They had just lost to Madison Central and Brandon, teams we had beaten, but I guess they took their frustration out on us,” Young said. “They did a great job of hitting. They were able to hit for distance and put it in gaps. Our only hope was to hit ourselves, but I was disappointed with our hitting. You’ve got to be able to hit with them.”

Clinton sophomore Etta Lewis was a big factor on both ends for Lady Arrows. Her high-arching pitches made it difficult for the Lady Vikes to drive the ball. At the plate, Lewis went 5-for-5 with two doubles and drove in a game-high five runs.

“She had a deep, high arch and you just have to adjust to it,” Young said of Lewis’ pitches, which routinely flirted with the 12-foot arc rule. “If that’s the strike of the day, you’ve got to deal with it.”

Besides Lewis and Collins, Clinton had four other batters get at least two hits. Lauren Goolsby went 3-for-5 and scored three times. Emily Todd had two hits, including a triple that plated the Lady Arrows’ first run. Mallory Mabus had two hits and drove in three runs.

Clinton (6-9) led 7-0 after three at bats. WC (11-4) got two runs in the bottom half of the third.

WC pulled to within 7-3 when Tiffany Fuller scored on Mandy Bordelon’s fielder’s choice. Clinton, though, cranked the offense back up, scoring three in the sixth and six in the seventh.