The Road to East Peoria: Pinckneyville's win streak reaches 19
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[For the first five innings-and some chamge-Pinckneyville Community High School's softball team found itself locked in a scoreless scrum with host Murphysboro in the first semifinal of the IHSA Class 2A Regional.
Lady Red Devil pitcher-and Murray State signee Leslie Bridges he;ld the hard-hitting Pinckneyville line-up in check.
The Lady Panthers had managed only three hits and three baserunners until Maddy Keith's leadoff infield single started the sixth.
Kortney Crawford followed with a basehit to left and Mo Ramsey worked Bridges for her first walk.
After a dropped foul pop up by the Lady Red Devils, Pinckneyville took full advantage when Emily Miller lined a double off the left centerfield wall.
Another Murphysboro error, a misplayed fly ball hit by Taylor Cicardi plated two runs to make the score 4-0. Dani Jenkel then slammed a solo home run for the final PCHS tally. The shot came on on the very next pitch after Jenkel missed an attempted suicide squeeze and Cicardi was tagged out at the plate.
"Miller amd Cicardi had clutch hits in the sixth and it was a great rally," Lady Panther coach Greg Hale said. "The name of the game is to advance and its not how you did it or when you do it."
Bridges fanned nine and gave just eight hits as Murphysboro's season ended at 16-19.
Sara Malanowski (17-1) gave just four hits while striking out three and walking two.
Miller and Ramsey each managed two hits with Emily Chapman managing the final PCHS safety.
"You have to give Leslie Bridges a lot of credit," Hale said. "She pitched a great game. Again, I thought are pitching and defense were very solid."
Now 34-1- and riding a school best 19-game winning streak-the Lady Panthers advance into Saturday's 11 a.m. title game.