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SOFTBALL: Big sixth lifts PCHS over Sparta

Posted April 24, 2012 11:00 pm

Doug Daniels

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Pinckneyville wrapped up their Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference Mississippi Division softball schedule on Monday, knocking off Sparta 10-7 after rallying for six runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.

"These kids have shown some resiliency by coming from behind and not giving up," said PCHS head softball coach Mike Cheek, "and that's a good thing, I just wish we didn't have to do it so often."

The Lady Panthers seemingly had the game in their control after a three-run second inning where five of the first six hitters singled, including RBI hits from Keelyn Stein, Alyssa Hirsch and Jordyn Wieland.

The Lady Bulldogs got one back in the top of the third, but Shersty Stanton homered in the bottom half to make it 4-1 Pinckneyville.

Katelyn Blount smacked a two-run homer in the fifth for Sparta to make it a one run game, then in the sixth the Lady Bulldogs grabbed the lead with singles by Jenalee Stine, Michaela Crabtree and Jade Vaughn and a bases loaded walk to Taylor Craig.

Down 7-4, Pinckneyville stormed back with seven hits in the bottom of the sixth. Stein, Dani Schoenbacher and Taylor Cheek all drove in runs in the inning then Taylor Howard got Sparta to go down in order in the seventh to close out the game.

"The best thing about Taylor is that she's a battler," said M. Cheek. "She's always going to give us her best effort whether she's on the mound or at the plate. I'm happy that she came through in the clutch like she did."

Wieland (2-3, BB, RBI), Schoenbacher (1-4, R, RBI), T. Cheek (1-4, R, RBI), Stanton (3-4, solo HR), Howard (3-4, 2B, 2 R), Stein (2-3, 2 RBI), Hirsch (2-3, 2 R, RBI) and Melia Bathon (1-3, BB, R) all hit safely for Pinckneyville.

The Lady Panthers (12-10, 2-8) return to non-conference play on Thursday at Waltonville, then Friday at Red Bud.

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