Herrin outlasts Steeleville softball

Posted May 07, 2017 11:00 pm

By Pete Spitler Editor@heraldtrib.com

Steeleville's Lexi Middendorf is congratulated at home plate after hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Lady Warriors went on to fall to Herrin, 4-3, in 11 innings on May 6. Pete Spitler/Herald Tribune

In a game of execution, Herrin capitalized last.

Rebecca Moffet hit a RBI single in the top of the 11th inning, and Steeleville watched scoring opportunities in the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th innings fall by the wayside in a 4-3 loss to the Tigers on May 6.

"We had opportunities," said Steeleville coach Andy Gerlach. "Against a good team, you have to capitalize on opportunities and today, we didn't come through at the very end."

The Class 1A Lady Warriors (21-2) lost their first game since March 18 against Waterloo in the second game of the season, and both defeats have come against Class 3A competition.

After tying the game at 3 with two runs in the sixth, Steeleville got a runner to third base in each of following four innings - including with one out in the bottom of the ninth when AnnaBeth Batson hit a leadoff double and advanced on a groundout by Karley Kothe.

But Herrin (22-2) found a way to wiggle out of the jam each time, getting Katie Myers to pop out to the shortstop for the second out of the ninth and Haley Troue to strike out swinging.

"When you go back and you break this game down, you're going to find situations where you didn't get a bunt down," said Herrin coach Jim Kowzan. "Or, you don't make a play defensively.

"When you get into these, it can come down to very, very small things and we were just able to do a few things better (than Steeleville)."

Steeleville even had an opportunity to re-tie the game in the bottom of the 11th when Kothe hit a two-out double to right field, but Myers grounded into a 6-3 putout to end the game.

"I give Herrin credit for just battling the whole time," Gerlach said. "That was going to be a tough loss for somebody and too bad that it was on our end."

Herrin struck first on the scoreboard with a three-run third inning, but Lexi Middendorf opened the door for Steeleville with a one-out solo homer, her team-leading eighth of the season, in the bottom of the fourth.

Two innings later, Sydney Hood - who took the hard-luck loss in the pitching circle - hit a one-out double and advanced to third on a groundout by Josie Raby. Middendorf walked to put runners at the corners for Mackenzie Pim, whose bloop single into right field jammed up the Herrin defense enough to allow both runners to score.

What followed next was a battle of endurance and wits. Herrin put runners on in the seventh, ninth and 10th innings prior to the climactic 11th, but Steeleville's defense prevented the Tigers from taking the lead.

"This is what we wanted to see and we've got to learn from this," Gerlach said. "This is the way a postseason game is supposed to go.

"Long, grueling and trying to get that opportunity to score."

Batson had an overall good day behind the plate at catcher, despite some early trouble with passed balls. She threw out three runners stealing and also tagged out Tori Schullian at home on a 1-2 fielder's choice a batter prior to Moffet's single.

"I really hope the girls don't dwell on the loss, but really think about how we lost that game and what we could have done different," Gerlach said.

Sydnie Furman (right) congratulates Lexi Middendorf (left) and Sydney Hood (center) after they scored on a two-run single in the sixth. Pete Spitler/Herald Tribune

Steeleville's Karley Kothe connects on a pitch. Kothe went 1-for-5 with a double in the bottom of the 11th inning. Pete Spitler/Herald Tribune

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