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SHS wins home opener
SIKESTON - Excellent pitching and aggressive base running were a winning combination for the Sikeston Lady Bulldogs softball team as they handed the Twin Rivers Lady Royals a 10-0 defeat at Sikeston on Tuesday.
Molly Brinkmeyer struck out 10 Lady Royal batters while allowing only one base hit and shortstop Paige Silverthorn stole three bases and scored three runs to lead the Lady Bulldogs in a convincing win.
Sikeston started their scoring off in the bottom of the first by plating two runs in the inning. Brinkmeyer singled, then stole second. After an Erin Wibbenmeyer strikeout, which resulted in the second out of the inning, Silverthorn came through and delivered a clutch RBI-single which plated Brinkmeyer for the first tally of the game.
The next batter, Elizabeth Heeb, walked and then Elizabeth Ziegenhorn ended the scoring with a two-out single that plated Silverthorn.
Through the first three innings, Brinkmeyer allowed no hits by the Lady Royals and struck out seven. In the Lady 'Dogs half of the third, two walks came back to haunt the Lady Royals freshmen pitcher, Carlee Vancil, as well as a costly throwing error by the Lady Royals.
The Lady Bulldogs plated a single run scored by Silverthorn on an throwing error committed by the third baseman for the Lady Royals.
In the bottom of the fourth, an error and three wild pitches by the Lady Royals led to five runs being scored by the Lady 'Dogs with only three hits being tallied. Sikeston scored seven runs in the fourth making the final score 10-0 as the 10-run rule was implemented.
Brinkmeyer went the distance to pick up the win.
"Molly did an excellent job and our team rallied around her and gave her the confidence to get the job done," said Sikeston head coach, Tiffany King.
Sikeston was led in hitting by Brinkmeyer who went 2-for-2 with an RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.
Silverthorn also had a nice day at the plate going 1-1 with an RBI, scored a run and stole three bases.
Additional offense for Sikeston was provided by Elizabeth Heeb who went 1-2 with an RBI and a run scored, Elizabeth Ziegenhorn drove in a run and scored a run and Ashley Kalina helped Sikeston by getting a single and scoring a run.
"We let our experience take over and the girls did an outstanding job of running the bases in an aggressive manner," said coach King.
The Lady Royals first game of the year resulted in a loss but head coach Barb Cunningham is optimistic about the future of Twin Rivers softball.
"We are a young team and we are learning as we go," said Cunningham. Twin Rivers did have two freshmen in the starting lineup against Sikeston.
Twin Rivers' only hit was recorded by Kayla Cunningham who singled and also stole a base. Vancil took the loss but pitched a complete game and struck out seven Sikeston batters.
"We need to work on hitting and play more consistent in the field," said coach Cunningham.
Sikeston (1-1) will play at Poplar Bluff on Friday. Twin Rivers (0-1) will play East Carter Co. on Thursday.
BENTON - The defending Class 2 state champion Kelly Hawks softball team dropped its season-opener on Tuesday with a 4-1 loss to Chaffee at Kelly High School.
Chaffee took advantage of six walks they were issued and six Kelly errors to pull out the win.
Kelly led 1-0 after Brittney Ponder doubled, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and was squeezed home on Kalie Hughes' bunt.
But Chaffee tied the game with two outs in the fourth and added one run apiece in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings.
Hughes was the losing pitcher, throwing six innings and allowing one unearned run off two hits, six walked with six strikeouts.
Casey Kern threw one inning of relief, allowing one hit.
Ponder led the Lady Hawks with two hits.
Hughes, Mindy Robert and Kern each had one hit.
Kelly will play at Malden on Thursday at 4 p.m.