EHS Edges Salem, South Central, Altamont Nab Softball Victories

Effingham High School had a six-run fifth inning then tallied what would prove to be the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to edge Salem, 8-7 in softball action Wednesday.

The Wildcats moved into a 3-0 opening inning lead. The Hearts came back with a run in the bottom of the second but Salem pushed into a 5-1 lead in the top of the third.

Effingham came roaring back with six runs in the fifth to move into a 7-5 lead. But Salem tied the score in the top of the seventh only to see Effingham win in the bottom of the frame.

The Hearts outhit Salem by a 10-8 count. Natalie Armstrong had a single, double and two RBI while Madison Kirk finished with a triple and two RBI. Mya Harvey added two singles. Alyssa Martin and Tessa Raddatz had a single and an RBI each. Keagyn Koenig had an RBI.

Armstrong led the Hearts to the win on the mound. She threw all seven innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits. She did not give up a walk and struck out six.

Salem was led by Marah Johnson with two singles and three RBI, Breanna Thurman with a single and double, Jaelyn Keller with two singles and an RBI and Isabella Decker with a single and two RBI.

The Hearts improve to 2-1 on the season and will be back in action Saturday in the Casey-Westfield Tournament.

Salem suffered its first loss and is also 2-1.

At Effingham

Salem                   302    000    2    --    7- 8-3

Effingham            010    060    1    --    8-10-3

WP -- Armstrong. LP -- Shuler.

Salem -- Russell, single; Thurman, single, double; Keller, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Decker, single, 2 RBI; Johnson, 2 singles, 3 RBI

Effingham -- Bierman, single; Donaldson, single; Armstrong, single, double, 2 RBI; Harvey, 2 singles; Martin, single, 1 RBI; Hartman, single; Koenig, 1 RBI; Kirk, triple, 2 RBI; Raddatz, single, 1 RBI

At Cisne

Lauren Johnson threw a no-hitter as South Central blanked Cisne 17-0 in four innings Wednesday.

Johnson went the four innings, striking out 10 and not allowing a walk. She also had a big game offensively with a single, double and three RBI.

Kaitlyn Swift also had a single, double and three RBI. Bri Buchanan added two singles and an RBI, Abi Shuler a single and three RBI, Jamalyn Logan a single and two RBI and Baylee Brown a single and an RBI. Kyra Swift and Sophia Lotz had an RBI each.

At Cisne

South Central                  088    1    --    17-12-1

Cisne                                000    0    --      0- 0-5

WP -- Johnson. LP -- Porter.

South Central -- Ky. Swift, 1 RBI; Brown single, 1 RBI; Ka. Swift, single, double, 3 RBI; Thompson, single; Lotz, 1 RBI; Johnson, single, double, 3 RBI; Feldhake, single; Shuler, single, 3 RBI; Rose, double; Logan, single, 2 RBI; Buchanan, 2 singles, 1 RBI

Cisne -- no hits

At Moweaqua

Altamont scored two runs in the fifth and that was enough as the Indians handed Moweaqua Central A&M a 2-0 loss Wednesday.

It was a pitcher's duel as Grace Lemke took the mound for Altamont while Gwyn Hardimon threw for Central A&M.

Lemke went the seven innings, allowing only one hit, five walks while striking out 19. Hardimon also went the distance, allowing two runs on seven hits, two walks while striking out 13.

Laila Hankins and Lemke provided the offense for the Indians. Lemke had two singles, a double and drove in a run while Hankins had three singles and an RBI. The only other hit came off the bat of Avery Fleeharty with a single.

The lone hit for Central A&M was a single by Olivia Kerby. Both runs were unearned.

Lemke now has a total of 91 strikeouts in five games and giving up only 13 walks.

Altamont remained unbeaten with a 5-0 record while Central A&M dropped to 4-2 on the season.

Altamont returns to action at Greenville today, weather permitting, at 4:30 p.m.

Central A&M is back in action hosting Arthur-Okaw Christian at 4:30 p.m. today.

At Moweaqua

Altamont                    000    020     0    --    2-7-0

Central A&M              000    000     0    --    0-1-2

WP -- Lemke. LP -- Hardimon.

Altamont -- Lemke, 2 singles, double, 1 RBI; Hankins, 3 singles, 1 RBI; Fleeharty, single

Central A&M -- Kerby, single

At Olney

Richland County, Olney took the early lead and then held off Cumberland for a 9-6 softball victory Wednesday.

The Tigers held a 5-0 lead after two innings. The Pirates came back with three in the top of the fifth but Olney scored two in the bottom of the frame. Cumberland then pulled within 7-6 in the second but Olney scored two more for the winning margin.

The Pirates had eight hits but committed six errors.

Ashton Tolen and Lauren Schnepper finished with a single and double each while Noraa Cross had a double. for the Pirates.

At Olney

Cumberland                      000    033    0    --    6-8-6

Richland County               320    022    x    --    9-9-2

WP -- Gwyn. LP -- Holsapple.

Cumberland -- Cross, double, 1 RBI; Kingery, single; Tolen, single, double, 4 RBI; Schnepper, single, double; Holsapple, single, 1 RBI; McMechan, single

Richland County -- Williams, 2 singles, double; Bloomer, 2 doubles, 1 RBI; Gwyn, single, 1 RBI; Kocher, RBI; Reed, 2 singles, 1 RBI; Sessengood, single