Effingham wins Robinson Invitational championship; Dieterich drops all three games

Apr. 29—ROBINSON, Ill. — Three games. Three wins.

The Effingham softball team defeated Lawrenceville, Fairfield and Robinson in the Robinson Invitational on Saturday. The Flaming Hearts (15-6) defeated the host Maroons 8-6 in the championship game.

Robinson started the game scoring twice in the first two innings.

Raegan Manhart singled to start the contest. Ella Bunten then laid down a sacrifice bunt to push Manhart up to second and Mallory Mosbey hit an RBI double to make it 1-0 in just four pitches.

Brylee Yates then started the second with a base hit. Madi McClenathan laid down a sacrifice bunt, Maddy Myers struck out looking and Rhianna Moss hit an RBI single to make it 2-0.

Effingham didn't get on the board until the third when the Hearts scored three runs.

Madi Kirk started the frame with a walk. Bria Beals flew out to right and Kirk then stole second and third before Raegan Boone grounded into a fielder's choice, though Kirk beat the throw home.

Jerzi Bierman followed by drawing a walk. Sidney Donaldson then struck out for the second out of the stanza and Natalie Armstrong hit an RBI single, scoring Boone and Bierman and giving EHS a 3-2 lead.

The Maroons scored three runs in the fifth to retake the lead.

Katie Winterrowd hit a sacrifice fly to center, scoring Moss and Eva Brashear hit a three-run home run.

The Hearts, however, scored three times in the bottom half of the fifth to tie the game once again.

Donaldson hit an RBI double and Natalie Armstrong hit a two-run home run.

EHS would then take the lead in the sixth after back-to-back RBI singles from Boone and Bierman to seal the game.

Armstrong, Boone and Donaldson finished with two hits and Bierman, Alyssa Martin and Kirk had one.

Saige Althoff started the game and allowed six hits with two strikeouts in four innings. Armstrong relieved her in the fifth and allowed five hits with one strikeout.

Hearts shutout Fairfield in second game of pool play

The Hearts scored one run in the third and five in the fifth in their 6-0 win over Fairfield.

EHS scored its first run with two outs in the frame. Boone started with a walk. She later stole second and scored on an RBI single by Bierman.

Then, in the fifth, Beals led off the frame with a single. She would then steal second and score on an RBI single from Boone. Bierman then reached on an error and Boone and Bierman scored after an RBI triple from Donaldson.

Mya Harvey was then hit by a pitch and Donaldson and Harvey scored on an RBI single by Ryley Engel.

Bierman finished with two hits and Boone, Donaldson, Harvey, Engel and Beals had one.

Althoff pitched and allowed three hits and one walk to eight strikeouts in seven innings.

Effingham opens play with win over Lawrenceville

Effingham started the day with a 4-1 win over Lawrenceville.

Althoff hit a solo home run in the third and Bierman scored on an error to make it 2-0.

The Lady Indians answered with one in the fourth. The Hearts then added two in the sixth on an RBI double by Harvey.

Boone, Donaldson, Harvey and Althoff had hits.

Armstrong pitched and allowed five hits and one walk to three strikeouts in seven innings.

Dieterich drops all three games

Dieterich fell to Robinson, Indiana High School Athletic Association member North Central (Farmersburg) and Lawrenceville.

The Movin Maroons (12-14) fell to Robinson 7-0 in the first game. Elaina Meinhart had two hits (one double), Estella Meinhart had two and Kinli Michl had one.

Ella Kreke, Callie Faller and Kinley Will pitched for Dieterich. Kreke allowed five hits and three earned runs with one strikeout in two innings. Faller allowed four hits and four runs (three earned) with two strikeouts in three innings and Kinley Will pitched one clean inning.

The Movin Maroons then lost to North Central (Farmersburg), 13-7.

Estella Meinhart had two hits (one home run), Faller had two hits, Ruby Westendorf had one hit (one triple) and Michl, Lucie Jansen and Allie Uthell had one hit.

Faller and Kreke pitched for Dieterich. Faller allowed three hits, four runs (three earned) and two walks in 2 1/3 innings and Kreke allowed nine hits, nine runs (three earned) and three walks to two strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.

Dieterich ended the day with a 5-0 loss to Lawrenceville.

Kreke, Faller and Estella Meinhart had one hit.

Will, Faller and Kreke pitched for the Movin Maroons. Will allowed five hits, two runs and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Faller allowed one hit, three runs and three walks in three innings and Kreke allowed one hit with 2/3 of an inning.