By Steve Raymond

ET Sports Report

The first three innings, the St. Anthony bats were held in check.

But over the final 10 innings, they pounded six home runs, banged out 31 hits and scored 22 runs.

As a result, the Lady Bulldogs posted a doubleheader sweep over the Effingham Lady Hearts and wrapped up a third straight championship in the annual City Series.

The three-game set was scheduled to begin Wednesday, but rain forced that game to be cancelled. So, a doubleheader was then set for Thursday.

Addie Wernsing’s one-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave St. Anthony a walk-off, 5-4 win in the opening game.

The nightcap was a slugfest. The Lady Bulldogs went deep five times and rolled to a 17-7, six-inning victory.

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By Steve Raymond

The ET Sports Report

Abbi Hatton drove in four early runs that had the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs seemingly in control.

But it was her defensive play in the sixth inning that just might have saved the game.

With one out and trailing 6-3, Windsor/Stew-Stras had the bases loaded with just one out. Clarissa Johnson then lined what appeared to be a base hit up the middle. But Hatton, who was playing centerfield, got the ball on one hop and fired a strike to the plate.

Instead of at least one run scoring on the play, it turned into a force play. (For those keeping score, it was the rare 8-2 entry.)

Instead of momentum continuing to swing in the Lady Hatchets’ favor, it ultimately squelched the promising rally.

One inning later, the Lady Bulldogs closed out an 8-4 victory for their fourth straight National Trail Conference Softball Tournament championship.

“That play was huge,” St. Anthony coach Makayla Taylor admitted. “We believe the way you practice is the way you play. We practice hard and we practice a lot of game situations. Abbi knew what to do when she got the ball. She made a great throw and it did change the momentum.”

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The combination of Sydney Kibler and Addie Wernsing on the mound continues to work well.

Coach Makayla Taylor has been throwing Kibler the first four innings and then Wernsing comes in for the final three. That strategy has proved to be quite successful.

That duo combined to limit Flora to just two hits Monday afternoon, helping the St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs post a 4-1 victory at home.

Kibler gave up the two hits and the run, while walking three and striking out six. Wernsing came on in the fifth and threw three hitless and scoreless innings. She walked one and fanned five.

The Lady Bulldogs scored two runs in the second inning and those proved to be enough. Sydney Kibler got a one-out single. Courtesy runner Lilly Gannaway then came all the way around to score when Maddie Kibler’s bunt was misplayed for an error. Later in the inning, Stacie Vonderheide also laid down a bunt that brought home the second run.

St. Anthony padded its lead with single tallies in the fourth and sixth. Abbi Hatton belted a solo homer to lead off the fourth and Maddie Kibler delivered an RBI single in the sixth.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 23-2 on the season. They will now play in the annual City Series against Effingham. That three-game set will be played Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Wednesday and Friday’s games will be played at St. Anthony, while Thursday’s game will be at the EHS diamond.

All three games will start at 4 p.m.

The St. Anthony Lady Bulldogs will be seeking their fourth straight National Trail Conference Softball Tournament title, thanks to a 6-2 win over Altamont in one semifinal game, played Wednesday at Evergreen Hollow Park in Effingham.

Wild pitches helped St. Anthony score three of its runs and an Altamont error let in a fourth. That, combined with the pitching of Sydney Kibler and Addie Wernsing, put the Lady Bulldogs in the championship game.

They will face Windsor/Stew-Stras at 6 p.m. Friday.

Three walks and two wild pitches staked SAHS to a 2-0 lead in the second inning. Maddie Kibler walked and eventually scored on an error in the fourth and Hailey Niebrugge walked, advanced to third base after two more wild pitches and then came home on a ground out by Abbi Hatton in the fifth.

The Lady Bulldogs wrapped up their scoring with a two-run sixth. Stacie Vonderheide walked, Julia Schultz got a base hit and Addy Rios delivered a two-run single.

The Lady Indians scored on a pair of solo home runs – by Grace Lemke in the third and Laila Hankins in the seventh.

Sydney Kibler pitched the first four innings to get the win. She allowed five hits and one run, while walking three and striking out eight. Wernsing took care of the final three frames, giving up two hits and a run, while walking one and striking out six.

Lemke took the loss for Altamont. She allowed six runs and five hits. She walked six and struck out nine.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 21-2.

In other games Wednesday, WSS defeated South Central 11-1; Dieterich beat North Clay 18-4; and St. Elmo/Brownstown outlasted Neoga 13-11.

The tournament will conclude Friday. At 4:15 p.m., Dieterich will face SEB for the consolation title; and Altamont and South Central will play for third place. St. Anthony and WSS will then square off in the final game.

All games are played at Evergreen Green Hollow Park.