SOFTBALL: Lady Panthers rally for Cheek's first win
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Perhaps extracting a bit of revenge for last season's loss in the Class 2A Sectional, Pinckneyville and first-year head coach Mike Cheek started their 2011 softball season by coming from behind to defeat Herrin 3-2 on Thursday in Herrin City Park.
The Lady Tigers grabbed an early lead before allowing PCHS to jump ahead 2-1, but Herrin tied the game in the bottom of the sixth before Mo Ramsey drove in the game-winning run in the top of the seventh.
"I was concerned about how we would come out and play in our first game," said Cheek, a long-time assistant under the now-retired Greg Hale.
"(We have) a new coach, we changed a few things, we changed things back, they're learning from me and I'm going to learn from them. I'm lucky I've got a bunch of seniors on this team that are willing to speak up and talk a little bit, and I think that helps tremendously."
Herrin drew first blood in the bottom of the first when Jessica ALongi singled off of PCHS starter Sara Malanowski, then eventually scored on an RBI single by Taylor Winn.
Malanowski retired the next two hitters, then catcher Shersty Stanton gunned down Winn trying to steal second base to end the inning.
"I was pretty proud of (Malanowski)," said Cheek. "She could have easily just kind of folded her tent right there and let them score three or four runs, she really didn't have her good stuff in that first inning, and she found a way to get out of that inning. Then as the game went on, she got better and better each inning, and the more she pitched the more confidence I had, the more confidence she had. She did a really nice job on the mound."
Dani Jenkel tied the game at 1-1 with an RBI double to right in the top of the third that scored Maddy Keith, then Malanowski unloaded a long solo home run well over the left field wall to give Pinckneyville a one-run lead that held until the sixth.
"She's wearing pink batting gloves, and I told her if she was going to wear pink batting gloves she's going to have to earn that right," Cheek said of Malanowski's blast. "I guess she earned that right today, she got a hold of that one pretty good."
Winn singled up the middle with one out and was sacrificed to second on a bunt. Emily Cripps walked, then Alyssa Pribble blooped a single to right to score Winn and tie things up.
The brief rally served as a wake-up call for PCHS, as Stanton led off the seventh with a line-drive single off the centerfield wall.
Dani Schoenbacher followed with a single, then Keith flied to left and Jenkel grounded into a fielder's choice that retired Stanton at third.
With two outs, Ramsey stepped in and singled up the middle to bring home Schoenbacher with the deciding run as Malanowski got the Lady Tigers to go down in order in the bottom of the inning.
"In the last at-bat, who do you want at the plate but your number three hitter," Cheek said. "(She's) probably going to lead you in RBI's, she holds the school record in RBI's, best batting average, that's the person you want up there and she came through when it counted for us."
Malanowski (1-0) went the distance for PCHS, allowing both Herrin runs on just 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 9.
Jenkel, Ramsey, Malanowski, Stanton and Schoenbacher each had one hit for PCHS's total of five in the game.
The Lady Panthers return to action Friday at Okawville (4:30 p.m.).
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