Effingham Downs St. Anthony 4-1 to Win City Softball Series

The Effingham Hearts downed the St. Anthony Bulldogs 4-1 Thursday to win the 2017 City Softball Series. The game was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com. 

The victory gives Effingham a 2-0 lead in the best-of-three series. Game 3 will be Friday at 4:30pm at the Effingham High School softball field.

Effingham scored twice in the top of the first. Leadoff hitter Carsyn Fearday doubled and Lauryn Douthit followed with a walk. A fielder's choice, a sacrifice and an error allowed Fearday to score. Skyler Schafer reached on the fielder's choice and she scored the other run in the inning.

St. Anthony got two runners on in the bottom of the frame but with one out a fly ball and a strikeout ended the threat.

There was no further scoring until the Bulldogs plated a run in the fifth. After Riley Seachrist reached on an error to start the inning, another error and a fielder's choice moved Seachrist along and she was then singled home by Jenna Woltman to make it 2-1. Another Bulldogs single kept the rally going, but a strikeout and a fielder's choice ended the threat.

Effingham provided some breathing room with two runs in the seventh. Jenna Wright doubled to lead off the inning, and Aly Armstrong's double gave the Hearts two runners in scoring position. Alissa Kersey's ground ball scored a run and Jaelyn Boone's pinch-hit single plated Armstrong with the other run.

Aly Armstrong posted the pitching win, allowing one unearned run on nine hits with no walks and nine strikeouts. Jenna Woltman went the distance for St. Anthony, allowing four earned runs on seven hits and no walks while fanning two.

At the plate for Effingham: Carsyn Fearday tripled and doubled and scored a run; Lauryn Douthit singled, walked and stole a base; Skyler Schafer reached on a fielder's choice and scored; Jenna Wright doubled and sacrificed, scored and drove in a run; Aly Armstrong doubled and scored; Alissa Kersey drove in a run; Jaelyn Boone singled and drove in a run; and Chloe Funneman singled and stole a base.

At the plate for St. Anthony: Katie Kabbes singled; Jessica Coffin singled; Jenna Woltman singled three times and drove in a run; Liz Day singled twice; Karlee Roepke singled; Allie Day singled; and Riley Seachrist reached on an error and scored.

Effingham improved to 13-8 with the win, while St. Anthony is now 16-14.