Highland strung together four straight hits and scored four times in the top of the seventh inning Friday afternoon to break a tie and come away with a 6-2 win at St. Anthony.

It was 2-2 when Highland’s Faith Hickman led off the seventh with a base hit and Kelly Fuller followed with a double. Maggie Grohmann then got a two-run single and Sydney Parkerson blasted a two-run homer to give the guests their four-run cushion.

Highland scored two runs in the first inning and St. Anthony came back to tie in the bottom of the fourth. After having their first nine batters retired in order, the Lady Bulldogs got back-to-back singles from Cameron Rios and Addie Wernsing to start the inning. Both runners moved up a base on a ground out and both scored on an error.

Stacie Vonderheide relieved in the fourth and took the loss. She allowed seven hits and four runs in her three innings of work. Wernsing was the starter and pitched the first three innings. She gave up two hits and two runs, while walking four and striking out two.

The Lady Bulldogs dropped to 13-7 overall. They will play at home Monday against Altamont and then face Windsor/Stew-Straws Tuesday in the championship game of the National Trail Conference Softball Tournament. That game is scheduled for 4:45 p.m. at Evergreen Hollow Park in Effingham.

Sometimes after turning in a remarkable performance, there’s a bit of drop-off.

For Lucy Fearday? Not so much.

Two days after throwing a perfect game and not allowing a single base runner against Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City, the St. Anthony pitcher was in a slightly more generous mood Wednesday against Altamont.

This time, she allowed one base runner.

Abby Goeckner’s single in the fifth was the only Lady Indian to reach base in Fearday’s five innings of work.

Meanwhile, Fearday’s teammates provided more than enough support, en route to a 7-0 win at home.

Fearday’s control has been exceptional. For the second straight outing, she didn’t allow a walk. She did strike out three. Addie Wernsing pitched the final two innings and only allowed a walk.

The Lady Bulldogs scored all the runs they needed in a four-run first inning. Cameron Rios walked, went to third on a base hit by Wernsing and scored on a bunt by Hailey Niebrugge. A walk and an error then loaded the bases and Stacey Vonderheide cleared them with a double.

It stayed 4-0 until the fourth when St. Anthony tacked on four more. Vonderheide singled to lead off the inning. Then with two outs, Rios had an RBI single, Wernsing followed with a run-scoring double and Niebrugge capped the inning with a base hit to drive Wernsing in.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 12-6. They will play at home today (Thursday) against Windsor/Stew-Stras.

St. Anthony 14, Flora 5

The Lady Bulldogs erupted for nine runs in the opening inning Tuesday, en route to a 14-5 win at Flora.

St. Anthony combined 10 hits and two walks to push nine runs across the plate. Maddie Kibler had a three-run homer in the inning. Kibler finished with 4 RBI in the game, while Hailey Niebrugge had three hits and drove in three runs.

The Lady Bulldogs finished with 17 hits. Lucy Fearday and Cameron Rios also had three hits.

Wernsing pitched the first three innings to get the win. She allowed two hits and a run. Stacie Vonderheide pitched the final four innings.

It was a preview of the National Trail Conference softball championship game next week.

St. Anthony and Windsor/Stew-Stras have both reached the final game of the NTC Tournament, which is set for 4:45 p.m. Tuesday.

They squared off in a regular season battle Thursday and it was all Lady Bulldogs. They banged out 15 hits and scored in every inning, en route to a 15-5 six-inning victory.

Cameron Rios and Addie Wernsing both had three hits and Sydney Kibler and Hailey Niebrugge both clubbed home runs to lead the Lady Bulldogs offensive attack.

St. Anthony took control early. In the first inning, Rios singled, stole second and scored on a double by Wernsing. She eventually scored on a fielder’s choice and Sydney Kibler capped the inning with a two-run homer that staked SAHS to the quick 4-0 lead.

A solo shot by Niebrugge made it 5-0 in the second. The Lady Bulldogs then scored three runs in both the third and fourth, added a single tally in the fifth and ended the game with a three-run sixth.

Lucy Fearday pitched all six innings and got the win. She allowed nine hits and five runs, while walking two and striking out six.

The Lady Bulldogs improved to 13-6. They will play at home today (Friday) against Lawrenceville and again Monday against Altamont before facing WSS again in the tourney championship Tuesday.

Perfection.

It doesn’t happen very often.

But Lucy Fearday achieved pitching perfection Monday afternoon against Cowden-Herrick/Beecher City.

The St. Anthony hurler faced 21 batters and retired every single one of them. CHBC didn’t have a base runner in the game. Fearday didn’t allow a hit or a walk and struck out 12 in her 96-pitch performance.

Her teammates didn’t have a lot of hits, but took advantage of Fearday’s terrific pitching and four errors by CHBC to come away with a 9-0 win at home.

Fearday had at least one strike out in every inning. She struck out the side in the fourth and then ended the game in impressive fashion, striking out the final three batters of the game.

The Lady Bulldogs scored all the runs they needed in the opening inning. Cameron Rios led off with a base hit, stole second, stole third and scored on a throwing error by the catcher. Abbie Wernsing walked, Fearday was hit by a pitch and both runners eventually scored on a pair of passed balls.

SAHS added two runs in the second and then completed the scoring with a four-run fifth. Rios, again, started things with a base hit and got to second on an error. Wernsing followed with an RBI single and went to second on the throw home.

After a sacrifice bunt, Fearday lifted a sacrifice fly to bring in the third run. Sydney Kibler then singled, Maddie Kibler reached on an error and both later scored on another error.

St. Anthony improved to 9-6 on the season. The Lady Bulldogs are scheduled to travel to Flora today (Tuesday).