DU QUOIN SOFTBALL: Lady Indians Three-peat at Frankfort

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[ For the third consecutive year, Du Quoin High School's Girls Softball team is champion of the West Frankfort Invitational.

Saturday morning, the Lady Indians topped Hamilton County (2-1) and host West Frankfort (9-7) to again win the title.

Du Quoin, 13-8, stretched its winning streak to four entering Monday's home battle with Sparta. The game was rained out and rescheduled for May 7.

"I'm very proud of my kids and how they have been playing of late," Lady Indians coach Jason James said. "Hopefully we can continue to stay focused and keep competing at a high level. Again we didn't get down when we fell behind in both games. We found a way to pull it off."

In a much tougher-than-expected opener versus HamCo, the Lady Indians trailed 1-0 in the seventh until Kelsey Toler's double forced extra innings. Caitlin Williams singled and pinch runner Ashley Ward raced home for the tie score on Toler's hit.

In the eighth, Du Quoin won the game as Ashley Hess raced home on a wild pitch.

Senior Micah Ward scattered five hits and pitched the first seven innings, striking out five and walking five. Chelsea Hill worked the final frame and gained the victory.

"Ward pitched seven great innings and Hill was tough in the eighth to help us pick up this win," said James. "This was a very well-pitched game on both sides."

Hill (12-6) struck out nine-surviving a rough start and ending-to nail down a win over West Frankfort.

Hess and Toler each had three hits, two doubles and two RBI for Du Quoin's offense. Heather Cavins, Hill and Megi Jones added two-hit games. Jessica Hirsch, Williams and Michaela Brown also hit safely.

"We lost a little focus early but again we responded and played pretty well," said James. "We really came out and hit the ball all over the field."

The Lady Indians fell behind with a rough beginning, allowing three early unearned runs.

Du QUOIN 7, ANNA-JONESBORO 4

The Lady Indians (4-2) stayed in conference title contention with a huge road win Friday afternoon. A-J and Du Quoin now share second place in the Mississippi Division, one game back of first place Pinckneyville.

Hill scattered eight hits and Kasi Camden's two-run double pushed home the go-ahead runs in the seventh as the Lady Indians rallied.

Hirsch and Camden each finished with two hits. Hill had a key two-run single in the sixth to extend Du Quoin's lead.

Hess, Cavins, Megan Edwards, M. Ward and Jones all contributed hits.

"This was a very big win for us," admitted James. "A-J is a very good team. We continued to hit the ball and played well defensively."