For the second time in about a week, the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs found themselves trailing early in a game.
But once again, the bats came alive and the Lady Bulldogs were on their way to another win.
St. Anthony scored 13 runs over the final four innings Friday afternoon, erasing an early three-run deficit and rolling to a 14-4, six-inning victory over Teutopolis in the championship game of the Teutopolis Class 2A Regional.
The Lady Bulldogs, now 21-3 on the season, advance to the Tolono (Unity) Sectional after winning their third straight regional title.
In the regional final, SAHS took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. Cameran Rios led off with a triple and her sister, Addyson, followed with an RBI single.
The Lady Shoes then took the lead with a four-run third. Estella Mette led off with a walk and Erin Althoff singled. With two outs, Emily Konkel singled to load the bases. Malea Helmink then cleared the bases with a three-run double and Kaylee Niebrugge capped the inning with a run-scoring single to give the hosts a 4-1 lead.
St. Anthony scored twice in the bottom of the third. Addy Rios singled and scored on a two-out double by Lucy Fearday. Three straight walks forced in another run to make it 4-3.
The Lady Bulldogs then took control with a six-run outburst in the fourth. The tying run scored on an error and Hailey Niebrugge drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI double. Before the inning was over, Sydney Kibler had a run-scoring double, Abbie Hatton added a two-run single and Stacie Vonderheide collected an RBI double.
SAHS then ended the game with a five-run sixth. A single by Anna Faber, a double by Hatton and a walk to Vonderheide loaded the bases. One run scored on a passed ball and another on an error. Cameran Rios added an RBI single and Fearday made it a 10-run deficit with a two-run double.
Fearday was also the winning pitcher. She went all six innings, allowing five hits and four runs. She walked just one and struck out nine.
Courtney Gibson was the losing pitcher for the Lady Shoes. She allowed 18 hits and 14 runs, while walking eight and striking out two.
T-Town ended its season with a 17-14 record.
Addy Rios led the 18-hit attack, going 4-for-4. Cameran Rios had three hits, while Niebrugge, Fearday, Kibler and Hatton each had a pair. Fearday and Hatton both had three RBI.
St. Anthony will return to action Tuesday, facing Blooming Central Catholic at 4:30 p.m. BCC won its own regional.
There will also be a game at 6 p.m. Tuesday. Tolono (Unity), the winner of the Maroa-Forsyth Regional, will play Marshall, winner of the Sullivan Regional.
The sectional championship is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 27.
