SOFTBALL: Missed sign turns into game-winner for PCHS
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[In the first of what should turn into many classic softball battles between newly acquainted conference rivals Carterville and Pinckneyville, it was only fitting that the two squads fought to a 3-3 push at the end of seven innings.
After holding the Lions scoreless in the top of the eighth, the Panthers scored the victory on the second pitch of the bottom half when Shersty Stanton lined a base hit to left to score Kala Emling, who began the inning at second base with the International tie-breaker rule in effect.
"I gave her the bunt (sign), and she didn't see it," admitted PCHS head coach Mike Cheek. "That seems to happen every once in a while, but like I told them, if you're going to mess up, that's the way to mess up."
The Lady Lions had a runner at third with one out in the eighth, but Pinckneyville hurler Emily Chapman got Dana Kaufmann to pop out, then struck out Kate Robinson to end the threat.
"It's tough when you go International (tie-breaker) like that as the visitor, which we've done our last two conference games," said Carterville head coach Brett Diel. "You're at a disadvantage, (the home team) can kind of see what they need."
"At Sparta on Friday we were able to score that run, so they had to play kind of conservative to tie it. But when we didn't score that run in the eighth today, (Pinckneyville) could basically get three free shots at a base hit to win it, and that's what they did."
The Lady Panthers received a scare in the first inning when leadoff hitter and team RBI leader Mo Ramsey slid into home on Chapman's single for a 1-0 advantage, but was hit on the head during the play at the plate and had to leave the game.
"She took a shot to the head, she's already had a concussion this year and I just thought it was best to sit her out the rest of the game, it was just precautionary," Cheek said. "I think she's fine, but there's no reason to risk further injury."
Robinson tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI double in the second to score Sarah DaRosa, but Taylor Cicardi and Melia Bathon drove in runs with singles in the third for Pinckneyville.
After Bathon's hit, DaRosa came in to relieve Hailey Popejoy and immediately began to shut down the Lady Panthers' bats, retiring both hitters she faced in the inning to keep the game from breaking open.
Amy Drust singled to start the Lions' fifth, then Meredith Brown reached on a error before Chelsea Presley advanced both runners by grounding into a fielder's choice to the right side of the infield. Mollie Thomas lined a 2-RBI single to left, tying it up at 3-3 before Chapman escaped the jam.
From that point on, neither team got a runner past second base until the eighth, when Meagan Moon was stranded in the top half of the frame for Carterville.
With an 0-1 count and Emling at second, Stanton lined the game-winning single down the third base line into left field for the Lady Panthers' second straight win following a brief two-game losing streak.
"(Stanton) came up with a big hit, it just didn't work out for us," Diel said. "I thought we played well, we just weren't able to squeak out an extra-inning game on the road."
Chapman (6-1) threw all eight innings for Pinckneyville to pick up the victory. The senior allowed seven hits, three runs (two earned) and walked a pair while striking out seven.
DaRosa picked up the tough-luck loss despite four and two-thirds innings of brilliant relief work, allowing just three hits and fanning five.
"Nothing was really manufactured off of her in the four, five innings she worked," said Diel. "I thought she pitched great, the defense was fine. They got a break and we didn't, it's as simple as that."
Cheek was pleased to get a look at DaRosa, while not giving the Lions a look at his other starter, Sara Malanowski (8-1).
"(DaRosa is) a very good pitcher, she's a heady pitcher," said Cheek. "We talked about how she pitched, and I think the next time we face her we'll do a better job."
"Emily pitched really well, there was no need to bring in Malanowski. We had a couple errors early and she pretty well got us around those errors and did a really nice job on the mound."
Four Lady Panthers collected two hits - Maddy Keith (2-4, R), Cicardi (2-4, RBI), Stanton (2-4, RBI) and Bathon (2-2, HBP, RBI). Chapman was 1-for-4 with an RBI.
For Carterville (13-3), Robinson was 2-for-4 at the dish with a double and an RBI. Thomas had the other 2 RBI, finishing 1-for-2 with a walk and a hit-by-pitch.
Pinckneyville (14-2, 2-1) heads to Anna-Jonesboro on Thursday (4:30 p.m.).