Central miscues help Hunters snap losing streak

By MATT KING
Daily Journal Sports Writer

PARK HILLS — The Ste. Genevieve softball team continued its trend of relinquishing sizable leads on Monday afternoon, but was handed a reprieve from a struggling Central defense.

The Hunters scored two decisive runs on a throwing error in the eighth inning after wasting an early five-run advantage, and snapped an eight-game losing streak with a 9-7 conference win at the Park Hills Sports Complex.

Central reliever Melanee Cunningham induced a ground ball to shortstop after walking three straight batters with one out in the eighth, but a high throw to the plate eliminated the potential force out and put Ste. Genevieve (2-8) ahead to stay.

Central (2-3) committed seven total errors in the contest, but managed to force an extra frame by netting three runs in the bottom of the seventh. Two free passes proved costly Hunters hurler Tish Hindrichs, as Cunningham made it 7-5 with a two-out RBI single.

Infielder Addie Scoggin followed with the clutch hit of the day, blooping a tying two-run single over the second baseman and into shallow right field. Scoggin also singled in the fourth to finish 2-for-4.

Hindrichs escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth when catcher Brittany Basler caught a pop-up while avoiding a near collision. Hindrichs recorded four strikeouts and walked five in the win.

Ste. Genevieve opened the scoring with a pair of RBI ground outs from Basler and Steph Finley in the second. Shortstop Alicia Viox began the rally with a double, and scored two runs overall while making six infield assists without a miscue.

Central reacted late to consecutive infield singles by Becky Hermann and Lindsey Burgert, and the Hunters built a 5-0 lead on a Hindrichs ground out following a walk and two wild pitches. Burgert had two hits and a sacrifice bunt in five plate appearances.

Pitcher Amber Kennedy sparked Central with a three-run double to left-center in the fourth, cutting the margin to 5-4 before being tagged out at second base. However, Ste. Genevieve answered with two runs in the fifth on a Hindrichs double and two key errors.

Kennedy finished 2-for-4 with a walk, and settled for a no-decision after working seven innings with six strikeouts. Maggie Cunningham added two hits for Central, and made a bare-handed catch on a fly ball that escaped the glove of right fielder Brooke Dixon.

Freshman Taylor Friend got Central on the board with a RBI single in the fourth. Bethany Glore also singled for the Lady Rebels.

Ste. Genevieve  023 002 02 - 9  5  3

Central  000 130 30 - 7  9  7

WP - Hindrichs 8i 7r 9h 5er 4k 5bb.

LP - Cunningham 1i 2r 0er 0h 1k 3bb.

Hitting:

Ste. Genevieve - Burgert 2-4, Hindrichs 1-3, Viox 1-4, Hermann 1-5. 2b - Viox, Hindrichs.

Central - Scoggin 2-4, Ma Cunningham 2-4, Kennedy 2-4, Me Cunningham 1-4, Friend 1-4, Glore 1-4. 2b - Kennedy.