EHS Finishes Out City Softball Series With Win

Effingham High School finished the City Softball Series with a sweep Friday at Bulldog Field, ending the game in the fifth, 15-0 over the St. Anthony Bulldogs.

The Hearts stepped out to a quick 4-0 first inning lead. Emma Budde led off the game with a single before Lauryn Douthit drew a walk. Carsyn Fearday followed with a single that drove in Budde. Jaidi Davis nailed a single down the left field line that scored both runners. Davis came home on a sacrifice fly by Skyler Schafer.

The Bulldogs had two runners on in the first as Katie Kabbes singled and Allie Day singled. But both were stranded.

The Hearts tacked on a single run in the second on a home run by McKenzie Wittenberg. A short fence separates the softball field from the baseball field and there was some confusion because the ball went over the short fence then took a hop. At first it was ruled a double but umpires conferred and changed it to a home run when the fence situation was taken into account.

The Bulldogs rumbled again in the second when Jacy Boatman led off with a single. Grace Hakman reached on a single and Jessica Coffin drew a walk to load the bases. But once again, the Effingham defense got the final out.

EHS tallied another run in the third as Fearday singled to start the frame and Davis followed with her second single.

The Hearts pushed the lead to 9-0 in the fourth. Emma Huss led off with a double and Wittenberg reached base on an error that scored Huss. Emma Budde then followed with a home run.

The Bulldogs had a runner on in the third on a walk but EHS finished the inning with a double play. Boatman got her second single in the fourth. But once again the Hearts came up with a double play to end the frame.

EHS then broke the game open in the sixth. Budde was hit by a pitch and took second on a passed ball. Lauryn Douthit followed with a double, scoring Budde.. Fearday singled home douthit. Isabella Kronewitter singled and Kysta Dasenbrock reached on an error. Taylor Armstrong doubled home a run and Olivia Martin and Wittenberg had run-scoring singles.

The Bulldogs went up and down in the sixth to end the game. St. Anthony now sports a 10-14 record heading into the Class 1A Dieterich Regional next Wednesday against Altamont at 6:30 p.m.

The Hearts improve to 18-4 on the season. Wittenberg finished the game allowing five hits, three walks and striking out two.

At Bulldog Field

Effingham              411    306    --    15-19-0

St. Anthony            000    000    --     0-  5-3

WP -- Wittenberg. LP -- A. Day.

Effingham -- Budde, single, home run (fourth, one on), 2 RBI; Douthit, single, double, 1 RBI; Fearday, 3 singles, 2 RBI; Davis, two singles, double, 2 RBI; A. Armstrong, single; Kronewitter, single; Boone, double; T. Armstrong, double, 1 RBI; Huss, single, double; Martin, single, 1 RBI; Wittenberg, home run (second, none on), 1 RBI; Koester, single, 1 RBI

St. Anthony -- Kabbes, single; A. Day, single; Boatman, 2 singles; Hakman, single