CHS softball closes out regular season

Week 9 brought the final four games of the regular season for the Chester High School Lady Jackets softball team. In that action-packed final week, the Jackets won one game and lost three.

In conference action, Chester lost Monday, May 9, at Wesclin 9-7. Then Wednesday May 11, the Jackets traveled to Sparta and rolled over the Lady Bulldogs 20-2.

Friday the 13th proved to be a very scary day for the Lady Jackets when the Anna-Jonesboro Lady Wildcats came to Cohen Field and took home a 16-4 nonconference win. Making things worse for the Jackets was the fact that it was Senior Day.

Saturday, May 14, Chester traveled to Trico for another nonconference game to end the regular season. The Lady Jackets let one slip away when the Lady Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to ruin a 2-1 Chester lead and grab the win, 3-2.

<b>Wesclin 9, Chester 7</b>

The Lady Jackets led 4-3 after 5½ innings of play, but a huge 6-run bottom of the sixth scoring spree put a dark shadow on what was shaping up to be a YellowJackets win.

Chester responded in the top of the seventh with a 3-run effort but couldn't make up the 2-point deficit and fell to the Lady Warriors 9-7 in spite of a valiant effort.

In the loss, the Jackets recorded 6 hits including singles from Camrynn Luthy (1), Ashlyn Colvis (1), and Elaina Lutman (2), and a pair of doubles from Ashlyn Colvis (1) and Kylie Fortner (1). Chester also recorded 5 RBI's from Luthy (1), Colvis (3), and Lutman (1).

The Warriors had 7 hits, 5 RBI's, and 9 runs. Hailey Rakers led the Warriors on the mound all seven innings. She struck out 10 Lady Jackets and walked just one. Emma Eggemeyer had the loss for Chester, allowing 7 hits and 9 runs over 5 1/3 innings. She struck out 4 batters.

<b>Chester 20, Sparta 2</b>

The Lady Jackets traveled to Sparta Wednesday, May 11. The Jackets had a huge first inning earning 6 runs. Lutman reached base on balls and Fortner reached third on a hard hit ball that led to a Libby Renner error. Chester's Lutman scored. Chester led, 1-0.

Eggemeyer then came to bat and singled on a hard hit ball to second basemen Madi Mahan. Fortner then scored on a passed ball (CHS 2-0). Colvis then singled to shortstop Sydney Rheinecker and Eggemeyer advanced to second.

Luthy came up to the plate and singled on a line drive smash to third baseman Kylee McDaniel, scoring Eggemeyer. Lady Jacket Kinsli McCartney was next up and knocked a double to center field, scoring both Colvis and Luthy. Chester led 5-0.

To end the run, Kourtney Welton hit a double on a fly ball to left fielder Gracie Ledendecker scoring McCartney and the Jackets led, 6-0.

Sparta answered with a 2-run bottom of the first as a result of two Lady Jacket errors. The Lady Bulldogs would not score again.

The Jackets continued to dominate with a 3-run second inning, a 6-run third, a 1-run fourth, and a 4-run fifth to win 20-2.

In the win Chester recorded 20 runs on 12 hits, 16 RBI's, 11 walks, and just 2 strikeouts. Nine YellowJackets scored in the victory: Lutman (3), Fortner (3), Eggemeyer (4), Colvis (3), Anna Childs (1), Luthy (3), McCartney (1), Whitney Sulser (1), and Emma Murphy (1).

Eggemeyer got the win for Chester, allowing just 2 runs and 1 hit. She struck out 7 Bulldog batters. Colvis threw one inning of relief for the Jackets.

Madi Schulein took the loss for Sparta, surrendering 15 runs on 8 hits over 2 1/3 innings. She struck out 1 CHS batter.

<b>Anna-Jonesboro 16, Chester 4</b>

Friday the 13th was Senior Day for the Lady Jackets' final home game. Prior to the game, coach Ryan Petrowske hosted a ceremony honoring the three Lady Jacket seniors. Each was introduced and presented with balloons, flowers and gifts.

The three seniors are first baseman Anna Childs, catcher Ashlyn Colvis, and shortstop Kylie Fortner. Recognized with the girls were their parents, Mindy Childs and Bryan Childs; Charles and Tabatha Colvis; and Shelly Scanlan.

Friday the 13th did not bother the Lady Jackets in the first inning as the girls came out strong and led 3-0 after one inning. The Jackets held the Lady Wildcats scoreless in the top of the first inning as AJ's leadoff batter Jenna Sadler flied out to Chester second baseman Lutman.

Next up AJ center fielder Avery Osman doubled on a line drive to Chester center fielder Luthy.

With Osman on second base, Payton Seip came to the plate and took ball one. Osman stole third base on the play and was within scoring position with just one out. Seip then hit into a double play with catcher Colvis throwing to first baseman Childs, who cut down Osman's attempt to score.

In the bottom of the first, Lutman hit a double on a long fly ball to left fielder Olivia Schafer. On the next play, Kylie Fortner smashed a ground ball to third baseman Arianna Turner, who committed an error allowing Fortner to reach second while Lutman scored.

With Fortner on third base, Eggemeyer grounded out to pitcher Jenna Sadler, allowing Fortner to score. (Chester 1 out; leads 2-0.) On the next play, Colvis singled on a ground ball to center field.

Childs then bunted to the pitcher and was thrown out, allowing Colvis to advance to second. Luthy came to the plate and knocked a double to center field, driving in Colvis. (Chester 3-0.) The inning ended with McCartney striking out.

AJ had a huge 7-run second inning, featuring a home run, single, double, walk, and base on balls. Add to that two key Chester errors, and the Wildcats led 7-3.

In the bottom of the second, Chester scored 1 run. Murphy walked, then advanced to second on a Wildcat error. Murphy scored when Fortner hit the ball to second.

The Jackets then went cold for five consecutive innings. AJ scored again in the third (1), fourth (1), fifth (3) and seventh (4) to win 16-4.

In the loss, the Lady Jackets recorded 9 hits, 6 singles and 3 doubles. They also had 12 runners on base and 3 RBI's. Colvis led the team with 3 hits, 2 singles and 1 double. Lutman had 1 single and 1 double. Luthy had the other double.

<b>Trico 3, Chester 2</b>

The Jackets scheduled a last-minute contest Saturday, May 14, at Trico. It was a final warmup for both teams before regionals.

Both teams scored in the first inning for a 1-1 tie. Chester's Lutman reached base on a single that went to the catcher. Alyssa Bastien could not make the throw, and Lutman was safe on first. Lutman scored when Colvis tripled on a line drive to right fielder KayLynn Bowerman. (CHS 1-0).

In the bottom of the first the Lady Pioneers answered with a run when Dalyn Eilers reached base on a Chester error and later scored on a Madi Rathert single to center field. (Chester 1, Trico 1.)

The score remained knotted until the top of the seventh when Chester scored 1 run. Lutman doubled to left field to reach second base. Fortner then singled to right field to score Lutman. (Chester 2, Trico 1.)

In the bottom of the seventh, Eggemeyer struck out Taylor Cottom for out No. 1. All looked good for Chester!

With a 3-2 count, Eggemeyer allowed Trico's Josie Wettig to hit a fly ball to Chester left fielder Murphy, who couldn't handle the ball. Wettig reached base on the error. Trico managed to score 2 more runs with 1 out to win the game 3-2.

In the loss, the Lady Jackets recorded 8 hits with 2 RBI's. Eggemeyer struck out three pioneer batters. Lutman led the Jackets with 3 hits, 2 singles and 1 double. Murphy contributed 2 hits, both singles.

Rathert was the winning pitcher for Trico. She went six innings and allowed 2 runs on 6 hits. She struck out three Lady Jackets and walked one.