Published on May 29, 2025 7:27 am
Last Updated on May 29, 2025 7:27 am
BY MILLIE LANGE
MARION — Effingham High School’s softball season came to a close at the Class 3A Marion Regional Wednesday. The Hearts committed seven errors in the contest that saw Carbondale come back in the ninth inning to pull out a 9-7 victory.
Effingham took a 2-0 opening inning lead, then tacked on another run in the third. The Terriers pulled within 3-2 in the third inning.
But Effingham scored three in the bottom of the fifth to move into a 6-2 lead. That didn’t last long as the Terriers scored four runs in the top of the sixth to knot the score at 6-6. The big hit was a three-run homer for the Terriers by Kaelyn Viernum that pulled the squad within a run before they tied the score.
That’s where the scoring stood through the seventh and into extra innings.
But Carbondale now had the momentum and scored three runs in the top of the ninth. Sydney Tanner hit a double then Chloe Dyer singled and Tanner moved to third. Dyer stole second. Viernum reached on an error and Tanner scored. Lauren Lehman hit a single scoring a run and Lilli Graham drove in the third run with a single and the Terriers led 9-6.
Effingham fought back in the bottom of the ninth. Jerzi Bierman hit a double. With one out, Sidney Donaldson singled and Bierman came home. Natalie Armstrong drew a walk and the Hearts had runners at first and second. But Carbondale came up with a double play as Mya Harvey hit a ball to third and Viernum tagged the bag for a force out and threw to first to get Harvey in the double play that ended the game.
Effingham finished with 10 hits led by Bierman with three singles, a double and an RBI. Harvey added two singles and three RBI. Ryley Engel hit two singles and an RBI and Donaldson had a single and an RBI.
Carbondale advances to the regional championship with an 11-12 mark. The Terriers will now face Marion at 4:30 p.m. Friday for the regional championship. Marion had defeated Herrin 11-2 in a Tuesday contest.
Coach Jerry Trigg’s crew finished with a sparkling 23-9 record.
Class 3A Salem Regional
Carbondale 002 004 003 — 9-13-2
Effingham 210 030 001 — 7-10-7
WP — Lehman. LP — Althoff.
Carbondale — Graham, 3 singles, 1 RBI; Karayiannis, 2 singles, 2 RBI; Tanner, single, double; Dyer, single; Viernum, home run, 4 RBI; Thompson, single; Duckworth, 2 singles; Lehman, single, 1 RBI
Effingham — Bierman, 3 singles, double, 1 RBI; Engel, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Donaldson, single, 1 RBI; Harvey, 2 singles, 3 RBI; Martin, single