Kahoks softball falls in extra innings to Edwardsville
by Mark Jurgena
COLLINSVILLE — The week ended on somewhat of a high note for the Collinsville girls softball team. After suffering a pair of lopsided losses in their first two matchups, the final one of the week saw a big two-out rally to force extra innings but couldn’t score in extras and fell in that contest as well.
Edwardsville game
Four straight games of scoring one run did not bode well for the Kahoks in their home contest on March 28 against perennial power Edwardsville.
But Collinsville put on one of their best performances of the season in falling to the Tigers, now 5-1 on the season, by a 5-2 count in eight innings.
“It was a competitive conference game,” began CHS coach Jess Schmittling. “We were locked in from the first pitch, and I am proud of the grit we showed for eight innings. We weren’t perfect, but we didn’t allow the little mistakes to spiral or change the momentum into anything bigger.”
Edwardsville managed to scratch out a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh and the first two Kahoks made outs.
But leadoff hitter Lexi Rafalowski had other ideas as she singled to keep the game going before Katie Bardwell walked to put runners on first and second.
Then on a 1-2 count, Bailey Demick blasted a triple to right to tie the game at 2-2.
She was unable to score and the Tigers scored three unearned runs in the top of the eighth to put the contest away.
Collinsville collected five hits while committing four errors in the contest.
Demick went 2-for-4 with that two-run triple while Faith Fairchild had two hits including a double and Rafalowski had one hit.
Marissa Thomas was in the circle for the Kahoks throwing all eight innings giving up nine hits, five runs (only one of which was earned), walking two and striking out six.
“We’ve been focusing on valuing every pitch and every opportunity,” said Schmittling. “I thought we did a great job of that today and didn’t make any singular moment bigger than any other. We left the field feeling excited about our journey and what’s to come for our team.”
Mater Dei
CHS dropped a 9-1 decision to Breese (Mater Dei) at the Collinsville Sports Complex on March 27.
MD outhit the Kahoks 9-6 while Collinsville committed six errors.
Rafalowski, Bardwell, Faircloth, Demick, Lilly Paarlberg and Keagan Edwards all had hits. Demick and Edwards had doubles.
Thomas and Ali Vieluf saw time pitching for CHS.
MD was 9-4 late last week after throwing a no-hitter at Greenville the night after playing Collinsville.
West contest
On March 26, Collinsville traveled to Belleville West and was soundly defeated 16-1 in four innings.
CHS managed three hits but committed four errors defensively.
Demick had a big game at the plate going 2-for-2 with a double and a home run. She led off the top of the fourth with an HR to center field on a 1-2 pitch.
Emma Hylton had the other hit for the Kahoks.
Thomas and Vieluf were in the circle for Collinsville.
Upcoming Schedule
Yesterday the Kahoks traveled East St. Louis and tomorrow host Alton.
They travel to Breese (Central) on Friday, and Waterloo on Saturday.
Collinsville hosts Gillespie on Monday and travels to O’Fallon on Tuesday.
