PINCKNEYVILLE SOFTBALL: Lady Panthers Escape Freeburg

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ An eighth inning run lifted Pinckneyville Community High School's Girls Softball team to another thrilling victory Thursday, a 2-1 decision over Class 3A Freeburg at Hale Field.

The Lady Panthers, 4-0, are scheduled to play in Saturday's Johnston City Round Robin-weather permitting.

Thursday's game was the season opener for Freeburg.

"Finally after five innings we put some hits together," PCHS coach Greg Hale said. "We are young team and its going to take some time for us to jell. We are trying to make adjustments, but there's a big difference from junior varsity to varsity pitching."

Pinckneyville scratched out its first run in the sixth after a Lady Midgets miscue to knot things at 1-1.

Nicole Cheek lined a one-out single to rightfield and came all the way around when the ball rolled away from the Freeburg defender and all the way to the fence.

In the eighth, winning pitcher Emily Chapman singled and left for courtesy runner Taylor Kuhnert. Mo Ramsey then singled Kuhnert to third. The deciding tally scored two pitches later when Kuhnert raced safely home on Jenkel's infield grounder.

Ramsey ended with three hits at the plate.

"Emily Chapman pitched well and survived a few rough innings," Hale said. "I give credit to our team for playing steady defense and doing the fundamental things to win this one."

Chapman, 3-0, scattered five hits and struck out three.

At J'City, the Panthers will meet Class 1A powerhouse Toledo-Cumberland. They will also play Johnston City and St. Joseph-Ogden.

PCHS 2, Freeburg 1

Freeburg 000 001 00-1 5 4

PCHS 000 001 01-2 9 2

Fox and Pruett. Chapman and Cheek. WP-Chapman, 3-0. LP-Fox.

TOP HITTERS-PCHS: Keith 1-3, Miller 1-4, Cheek 1-3, Chapman 1-4, Ramsey 3-4 , Jenkel 1-4 (RBI), Burris 1-1, Crawford 1-1. Freeburg: Smith 2-4 (RBI).