Published: May 06, 2008 12:15 pm            

Flora pulls away in 9-3 win over Hearts

Effingham High School remained within striking distance for five innings, but that sixth inning proved to be a killer as the Hearts fell to Flora 9-3 in softball action Monday at EHS Field.

"I thought we had a shot with it tied 3-3," said EHS Coach Jerry Trigg. "But we had a couple of defensive lapses and had a bad inning. It's the small plays that kill us sometimes."

The Wolves edged out to a 1-0 first inning lead on the Hearts. With one out, Andrea Knapp nailed a pitch off the glove of EHS pitcher Amber Walker. The ball was out of the reach of the shortstop and third baseman and Knapp got an infield hit. Knapp later came home on a wild pitch.

The lead went to 2-0 in the second as Walker issued a walk with two outs. A double scored the run.

But the Hearts came right back to knot the score at 2-2 in the third. Hayley Jamerson fought to a full count then drew a walk. Mallory Steffen followed with a single to right field. Jenae Harner laid down a bunt and Flora pitcher Jordyn Wells picked it up and threw to first. But her throw went wild, rolled into the outfield and Jamerson and Steffen scored on the play.

In the top of the fourth, the leadoff Flora batter doubled, took third on a wild pitch and came home on a wild pitch and the Wolves took a 3-2 lead.

But the Hearts came right back in the bottom of the frame to knot the score. With two outs, Laren Brummer singled and sailed to third base on a single by Kelly Frey. When the Flora pitcher threw an illegal pitch, Brummer scored.

Flora got a runner on base in the fifth, but the Hearts got out of the inning. EHS went up and down in order in the fifth.

Then came the sixth when the Hearts couldn't seem to get an out. Two walks and three hits later, one a home run over the fence by Kendall McGrew, gave the Wolves a six-run inning and a 9-3 lead.

Flora aided its own cause with a double play in the bottom of the sixth then Wells put the Hearts down in order in the seventh.

"Amber pitched well, but she had trouble mixing up her pitches because she couldn't get her changeup over," said Trigg. "When that happened she had to keep throwing the same pitches and Flora got to her because of that."

Walker suffered the loss despite striking out nine batters. She gave up nine hits and four walks. Wells was the winner allowing six hits, one walk and striking out 13.

Shelby Koenig led the Hearts in hitting with two singles.

EHS drops to 8-15 on the season. The Hearts will return to action today traveling to Teutopolis for a 4 p.m. contest. EHS will then meet Effingham St. Anthony Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in the City Series.

Millie Lange can be reached at 217-347-7151 ext. 123 or millie.lange@effinghamdailynews.com.

At EHS Field

FLORA
------------------ab---r---h---bi
Krutsinger c-----4---1---0---0
Knapp ss--------4---1---2---0
Greenwood 3b--3---1---2---2
McGrew rf-------4---1---1---2
Leonard 1b------3---0---0---0
Scara ph--------1---0---0---0
Deaton dp-------3---2---1---0
Golden lf--------4---0---1---0
Trowbridge cf---2---2---0---0
Steele ph-------1---0---0---0
Dillon 2b--------2---1---2---1
TOTALS-------31---9---9---5

EFFINGHAM
-----------------ab---r---h---bi
Steffen 3b------3---1---1---0
Harner ss------3---0---0---0
Walker p-------3---0---1---0
Leslie cr--------0---0---0---0
Koester 1b-----3---0---0---0
Koenig c-------3---0---2---0
Eskew lf-------3---0---0---0
Silva cf--------1---0---0---0
Brummer cf---2---1---1---0
Frey rf---------3---0---1---0
Jamerson 2b--2---1---0---0
TOTALS------26---3---6---0

Flora----------110---106---0--------9
Effingham---002---100---0--------3

E — Wells. DP — Flora. LOB — Flora 5, Effingham 3. 2B — Dillon, Deaton, Greenwood, Golden. 3B — Greenwood. HR — McGrew. SB — Trowbridge (2), Harner (2).

PITCHING SUMMARY
-------------IP---R--H--SO--BB
Flora
Wells (W)---7---3---6---13---1
Effingham
Walker (L)---7---9---9---9---4
WP — Walker (3). Illegal pitch — Walker, Wells. U — Chance (HP), Moeller (B). T — 1:51.