SOFTBALL: Pinckneyville tops Chester, comeback bid falls short vs. Massac Co.
Hits were even at six a side, but the Lady Panthers made theirs count in a 5-1 win over Chester on Saturday morning at Greg Hale Field in Pinckneyville. A three-run sixth for PCHS provided some insurance after they had taken the lead an inning earlier.
The Lady Jackets got on the board first with three consecutive two-out hits in the top of the third inning - singles by Haley Middendorf and Logan Colvis and an RBI double from Kaitlyn Dillow.
But Pinckneyville starter Brooklyn Morrow shut the door on Chester from there on out, finishing her day with one earned run allowed on six hits and two walks with ten strikeouts.
The Lady Panthers tied it up in the bottom of the fourth on a solo homer from Emma Banach, then inched ahead 2-1 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Maddie Jones to bring in Kylee Kling.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Banach sparked a three-run rally with a leadoff single. With one out, Megan Mayo singled, Caitie Opp walked, then Josie Gleason hit a sac fly to center before Andrea Morgan singled to bring in Opp.
Jones (1-2, SAC, RBI), Banach (2-3, 2 R, HR, RBI), Mayo (1-1, R) and Morgan (2-3, RBI) had Pinckneyville's hits.
Middendorf (1-3, R, BB), Colvis (2-3, 3B), Dillow (1-2, RBI, 2B, BB), Alyssa Keith (1-3) and Brea Braun (1-3) had hits for the Lady Yellow Jackets. Chester hurler Jenna Wahl gave up four earned runs on six hits and four walks.
After Chester took it on the chin in a 21-0 loss to Massac County, the Lady Patriots and Lady Panthers matched up in the marquee game of the day, and didn't disappoint.
Morrow and Massac's Gracyn McBride both went deep twice, but it was McBride's team that left with the win, 7-6. Pinckneyville trailed 7-2 entering their final at-bat and nearly erased the deficit, but Banach's fly ball to centerfield with the tying run at first base was caught for the game's final out.
Massac County answered Morrow's first blast with two unearned runs off of Mariah Clark in the top of the second to go up 2-1, then McBride belted her first bomb in the third, a two-run shot to give the Lady Patriots a 4-1 lead.
McBride's second homer also plated two runs in the fifth, then a pair of hits, a walk, and two passed balls allowed Massac County to put up what turned out to be a much-needed insurance tally in the top of the seventh.
Refusing to go down without a fight, Pinckneyville put their first three batters on base in the bottom of the seventh inning with Mayo driving in Morgan Gleason to chip away at the lead. With two down, Jones doubled to plate Caitie Opp (walk), then Morrow smacked a single to right field to bring in both Mayo and Jones to make it a one run game before Massac County pitcher Sydney Boyd got Banach to fly out and end it.
Jones (1-4, R, RBI, 2B), Morrow (3-3, 2 R, 4 RBI, 2 HR), Clark (1-3) and Mayo (1-1, R, RBI, BB) had hits for PCHS. Clark allowed five earned runs on ten hits and two walks with nine strikeouts in the circle.
Pinckneyville faces a tough task this week, hosting tenth-ranked Nashville on Monday before traveling to Carterville on Tuesday to take on the top-ranked, unbeaten Lady Lions.