SOFTBALL: Du Quoin wins Johnston City tournament
Du Quoin softball will be riding a four-game winning streak when they resume conference play on Monday after sweeping through three games this past Saturday to win the Johnston City Tournament. DHS defeated the host Lady Indians, Murphysboro and Dupo on their way to the title.
The 6-1 victory over Dupo in the championship featured an outstanding effort in the circle by starting pitcher Marisa Ferguson, who allowed just four hits and a walk with seven strikeouts.
"We played very well today," said Du Quoin head coach Jason James. "(Marisa)Ferguson pitched an awesome game in the championship. She was hitting her spots and was very confident in the circle. We had several timely hits to drive in runs."
"I am very proud of the girls and how they carried themselves. They were pulling for each other and played confident the whole tournament. I had a lot of fun and all the credit goes to the girls."
Against Johnston City, Du Quoin scored all six of their runs in the top of the fifth inning and held on for a 6-3 victory. Mackenzie Jackson picked up the win with five innings on the rubber, allowing one earned run on four hits with five Ks. Ferguson tossed the final two innings to pick up a save, allowing three hits and three walks with a pair of strikeouts.
Sydney Lewis (double), Timbra Mansfield (single), Jordyn Bullar (sacrifice fly) and Afton Robinson (single) had RBIs in Du Quoin's big inning.
Robinson (2-4, RBI), Lewis (2-3, R, RBI, 2 2B), Mansfield (1-3, R, RBI), Sadie Day (1-1) and Amber Williams (1-2, R, BB) had hits for DHS.
Du Quoin then struck early in their 5-2 win over Murphysboro, plating three runs in the first inning on RBIs from Amanda Atteberry (single) and Alaina Caldwell (two-run double), and two more in the second on RBIs from Ferguson (single) and Jackson (sacrifice fly).
Jackson picked up her second win of the day in the pitching circle, allowing one earned run on two hits and two walks while fanning three. Bullar got the save, working two innings and surrendering an unearned run on two hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Ferguson (1-3, R, RBI), Atteberry (1-3, R, RBI), Bullar (1-3, R), Caldwell (1-2, RBI, BB), Mansfield (1-3, R) and Williams (1-1, R, 2 BB) hit for Du Quoin against Murphy.
The Lady Indians then took on Dupo for the title and got Ferguson all the run support she would need with a two-run bottom of the third inning.
Lewis reached on an error and scored on a double by Mansfield, who then came in on Jackson's two-out single for a 2-0 lead.
Du Quoin tacked on four more runs in the bottom of the fifth for good measure. Atteberry singled to drive in two and Lewis later added an RBI on a ground-out to the pitcher.
Meanwhille, Ferguson was cruising. She retired nine in a row at one point and allowed only two runners to get past first base.
Jackson (2-4, R, RBI), Atteberry (1-3, R, 2 RBI), Bullar (1-3), Robinson (1-3), Caldwell (1-2, BB) and Mansfield (1-3, R, RBI, 2B) supplied hits for Du Quoin's offense against Dupo.
The Lady Indians welcome Anna-Jonesboro to Du Quoin on Monday afternoon.