The Effingham Lady Hearts exploded for 10 runs in the second inning Monday afternoon, en route to an 18-1, four-inning victory at home over Neoga.

Effingham scored an unearned run in the first inning and then erupted in the second. The Lady Hearts combined five hits, five walks and two errors to push 10 runs across the plate.

Emma Hardiek had the big hit in the inning, blasting a three-run homer. Grace Bushur added a two-run single, Sawyer Althoff had an RBI single and two runs scored on bases loaded walks.

EHS tacked on two more runs in the third and then scored five in the fourth. Natalie Lohman had an RBI single in the third and then added a two-run base hit in the fourth. Bushur also had a two-run single in that fourth inning.

Jaidi Davis was the winning pitcher. She went four innings and allowed just one hit and one unearned run. She walked three and struck out six.

The Lady Hearts, now 6-1, are scheduled to play Friday at Flora and Saturday at Charleston.

Taylor Armstrong blasted two home runs, including a grand slam, leading the Effingham Lady Hearts to a 13-2, five-inning victory Friday afternoon at Vandalia.

Armstrong’s first homer was the key hit of the game. It came in the third inning with Effingham trailing 2-1. Jaidi Davis had a double, Emma Hardiek was hit by a pitch and Jacy Boatman walked to load the bases. Armstrong then drove a pitch over the centerfield fence for a grand slam and put the Lady Hearts on top to stay.

Effingham scored three runs in the fourth and then added five more in the fifth.

Armstrong led off that fifth with her second long ball of the game, a solo shot that cleared the leftfield fence. With one out, Tori Budde and Daelyn Dunston both walked, both stole a base and both scored when Grace Bushur came through with a two-run single.

Sawyer Althoff then completed the scoring by belting a two-run homer over the centerfield fence.

Armstrong and Bushur both had two hits to lead the team’s nine-hit attack. Armstrong finished with five RBI in the game, while Bushue drove in three and Althoff added two more.

Davis pitched the first four innings and got the win. She allowed just one hit and two runs, while walking one and striking out seven.

The Lady Hearts, now 3-1, will be back in action today (Saturday). They will open Apollo Conference play at Lincoln. EHS will then return home to face Neoga on Monday.

The Effingham Lady Hearts opened Apollo Conference play in impressive fashion Saturday.

They scored 13 runs, banged out 19 hits and received a pair of strong pitching performances, which led to a doubleheader sweep at Lincoln.

Jaidi Davis scattered seven hits and got by with issuing seven walks in the opener. She also drove in what proved to be the winning run in the Lady Hearts’ 3-1 win.

In the nightcap, Emma Hardiek belted a home run and drove in four runs, and Taylor Armstrong allowed only run, leading EHS to a 10-1 decision and the sweep of the twin-bill.

In the first game, Grace Bushur reached base on a dropped third strike, stole second and third and scored on a ground ball by Sawyer Althoff to give the Lady Hearts a 1-0 lead in the opening inning.

It stayed that way until the fifth. With two outs, Althoff singled, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on an RBI single by Davis. Riley Cunningham delivered a run-scoring double in the sixth to complete the scoring.

The Lady Railers had plenty of chances to score, but left 14 runners stranded. That included leaving the bases loaded in the first and sixth. Davis recorded key outs when she needed to, including 10 strike outs.

In the second contest, the Lady Hearts broke on top early, scoring three runs in both the first and second innings.

Four doubles accounted for the three runs in the opening frame. Bushur, Davis, Hardiek and Jacy Boatman all had two-baggers as the Lady Hearts broke out to a 3-0 lead.

In the second, EHS put together a two-out rally. Althoff singled, Davis was hit by a pitch and Hardiek followed with a three-run blast that sailed over the centerfield fence.

The Lady Hearts added four more runs in the fourth. Armstrong’s RBI double and Daelyn Dunston’s two-run single were the key hits.

Armstrong pitched all five innings to get the win. She allowed seven hits and one run, while walking one and striking out three.

The Lady Hearts improved to 5-1 on the season and 1-0 in the conference. Only the first game of a doubleheader between Apollo Conference teams counts toward the conference standings. Effingham will play at home Monday against Neoga.

The Effingham Lady Hearts had a lot of offense in the opener Saturday and then relied on a strong pitching performance in the second game to notch their first two softball wins of the season.

In the opener, Effingham banged out 10 hits and scored in every inning, en route to a 12-8 win over Salem.

In the second game, Taylor Armstrong tossed a four-hit, complete game, helping the Lady Hearts post a 2-0 victory over Olney.

In the first game, EHS led 7-0 and 11-2 before settling for the four-run decision. Emma Hardiek had three hits and Grace Bushur added two more.

The Lady Hearts went immediately to work in the bottom of the first. Bushur led off with a triple and scored on a fly ball by Sawyer Althoff. But before the inning was over, Emma Hardiek had a base hit, plus there were two walks and two errors that led to a pair of runs and an early 3-0 lead.

Effingham scored a single tally in the second on an RBI double by Hardiek; added three runs in the third on a run-scoring single by Tori Budde, an RBI double by Riley Cunningham and a ground out by Bushur; took advantage of two errors in both the fourth and sixth to add single runs; and had a three-run fifth, capped by a two-run double off the bat of Armstrong.

Riley Cunningham went the first six innings to get the win. She allowed five hits and seven runs, while walking one and striking out seven. Armstrong relieved in the seventh and recorded the final three outs.

And Armstrong just continued recording outs in the game against Olney. She allowed only four hits, while making 95 pitches in the shutout. She walked three and struck out five.

The Lady Hearts scored both of their runs in the fourth. Jacy Boatman and Hardiek led off with base hits. An error allowed the first run to score and a ground out by Budde drove home the second run. Boatman and Bushur both had two hits in the team’s six-hit attack.

Effingham, now 2-1 on the season, will play Wednesday at Shelbyville.