The Road to East Peoria:Benton outlasts Lady Tribe

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The 2010 season ended- and in disappointing fashion-for Du Quoin High School's girls softball team Wednesday.

However, the Lady Tribe certainly didn't go down without a fight.

Host Benton held back Du Quoin 13-12 to reach the championship game of the Benton Class 2A regional, its second narrow victory of the season over Du Quoin.

The Lady Indians finished with an 18-14 record. Benton (18-11) will play Herrin Saturday morning at 11 a.m. with the winner advancing to the Carterville sectional next week.

"I am so very proud of these girls and how they competed," Lady Indians coach Jason James said. "We hit the ball very hard all day long. "

Du Quoin came out smoking at the Benton Community Park, scoring five times in the opening inning.

Kate Toler led off with a triple and scored on Jessica Hirsch's basehit. An error sent Hirsch home for the second tally and a two-run single from Cassidy Rice made the score 4-0.

The fifth run came around when Chelsea Hill poked an RBI single.

As quickly as they came to life, however, Du Quoin's bats would go cold after the first inning.

Benton would eventually jump ahead 5-4 in the fourth and went ahead for good on Bailey Hill's bases loaded double.

The score was 9-5 by inning's end, but Du Quoin responded in its next at-bat with a three-spot.

Rice's two-RBI single and run scoring hit from Hess pulled the Lady Tribe back to within 9-8.

Benton would jump right back and score its final four runs against Hill in the last of the fifth.

A solo home run by freshman Kelsey Robinson inched Du Quoin another run closer (13-8), setting the stage for a drama-filled seventh.

Hess doubled to start things and scored on a wild pitch. Hadlley Marek-another frosh-added a single and then came around when Ashley Ward belted an opposite field inside-the-park home run.

Hill and Robinson kept the one-out rally going with singles but Toler was retired for the second out.

With runners at first and second, Hirsch's liner to leftfield was caught for the final out, ending the 2 1/2 hour affair.

Du Quoin had 19 hits, but stranded 13 runners. Seven were in scoring position.

"Benton just came up with some bigger hits with runners on base," said James. "I am proud of my two seniors (Hill and Hess). They are two of the greatest kids I have ever been around. They will be missed."

Hess' final game included a 4-for-4 effort at the plate with three RBI. and Hill exited by 3-for-4.

Rice was 3-for-3 with four RBI while Hirsch, Toler, Marek and Robinson all had two hits.

Rice (7-8) worked into the third inning and suffered the pitching loss. Hill relieved as the duo allowed 11 hits, but combined to walk seven Rangerettes, all but one scoring.

Wynn had six RBI for Benton with Paige Hughey and Chelsea Flatt both knocking in three runs.

With a starting line-up that included three freshmen, a sophomore and three juniors, James couldn't help but look ahead to 2011.

"There are some things that we need to work on and issues that need to be addressed for next season," he said. "Some changes will be made. These kids need to get out there this summer, work hard and make themselves better at everything they play."