Jersey Ends Game Early Against CM
The Eagles jumped to an early 4-0 lead in the top of the first, as Kelbie Zupan led off with a bunt single, went to third as Kate Griffith reached on an error, and scored on Jenna Christeson’s RBI single. Rebecca Harkey doubled home a run one out later, Braylen Cox singled home another run, and Harkey scored on an error by the shortstop as Cox stole second. Malena Wade grounded out to end the inning.
The Panthers countered with five runs in the home half, starting with back-to-back singles by Brooke Tuttle and Melissa Weishaupt. Lauren Brown singled home Tuttle with Jersey’s first run, and one out later, Lauren Rexing’s sacrifice fly to center scored Weishaupt, with Brown going to third. A passed ball enabled Brown to score and cut the lead to 4-3. Grace Sharich singled, and then scored when Claire Anderson reached on an error, tying the game at 4-4, then Emma Plasmeier singled home the lead run to make it 5-4 after one.
Jersey extended its lead in the fourth, starting with Sydney Gillis singling and stealing second, scoring on Tuttle’s hard grounder to third for a base hit. Weishaupt’s bunt single and a walk to Brown loaded the bases, then Chelsea Maag hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Tuttle making it 7-4. Weishaupt then stole third and came in on Rexing’s infield single. A Sharich base hit scored Brown to make it 9-4. An Anderson sacrifice fly to left scored Rexing to make it 10-4.
The Panthers closed out the game in the fifth, on an RBI single by Weishaupt, Tuttle scoring on an error, an RBI double by Ryleigh Jones and an RBI single by
Sharich that ended the game 14-4, due to the 10-run rule.
Tuttle, Weishaupt and Brown all had three hits and an RBI for the Panthers, while Sharich had three hits and two RBIs. Zupan and Christeson each had three hits for the Eagles, with Christeson driving home a run, and Harkey and Cox also having RBIs.
The Panthers are now 20-11, and play their regular season finale at Alton Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CM is now 11-12, and next play Columbia at home on Tuesday in a 4:15 p.m. start.
Jersey head girls softball coach Chelsey Crnokrak said her girls just hit the ball really well and had the right approach against CM.
"We had some errors to start of the game but luckily moved on from that and didn't let them score from that," she said.
Jersey plays the 6:30 p.m. game next Tuesday at home in the regional.
CM Coach Lucas Angelo said: "We put the bat on the ball and they made good plays. We hit their pitcher and had nice swings they found the gaps and we didn't."
CM faces Mascoutah in the regional play next week.
