The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Mike Rodeffer, The Quill
Last Thursday, April 18th, the Illini West girls softball team hosted Quincy High School. The game was played in La Harpe because the Carthage diamond was too wet. Illini West defeated Quincy 7-0.
The first three innings were a pitchers' duel. Brooke Lawson was the Illini West hurler and was perfect through the first three innings with 7 strikeouts. Illini West were also held scoreless through three innings.
In the top of the 4th inning, Lawson gave up 2 singles, but with runners on 2nd and 3rd base, Lawson was able to strike out the next two batters to end the inning.
Illini West scored one run and 3 hits in the bottom of the 4h inning. Katelyn Murphy and Brooke Lawson singled and Gracie McDowell singled home Murphy.
Quincy's first batter singled in the 5th inning. Catcher Sydney Carlyle picked the runner off first base after a pitch. Second baseman Destiny Shumaker had slipped in behind the runner and caught the throw and tagged the runner out.
Illini West busted out for 6 runs in the fifth inning.
Destiny Shumaker walked, Ali Bliss singled, Daytona Dooley singled home Shumaker, Kate Murphy singled home Bliss and Brooke Lawson singled home Dooley and Murphy. Sid Carlyle reached base on an error and Paige Gutting grounded out, but drove home Lawson. Gracie McDowell then doubled to knock in Carlyle.
Brooke Lawson was the winning pitcher for Illini West. Lawson pitched all seven innings, striking out 13 while allowing just 4 hits and walked only 1 batter.
Neally was the losing pitcher for Quincy, allowing 7 runs on 9 hits. Neally struck out 6 and walked 1.
JV's also beat Quincy 5-2 in five innings. The IW JV's also had a good night as they beat Quincy 5-2.
Bailey Torrance pitched all 5 innings for the IW JV's. Torrance allowed 2 runs, just 1 earned, struck out 2, allowed just 2 hits and walked 2.
In the first inning, Illini West JV's scored twice. Anna Talley singled and Halee Wood hit a line drive to the fence and made an inside-the-park homerun.
In the 2nd inning, Kaitlyn Blanton singled home Paige Blankenship. In the 3rd inning, Anna Talley walked, Halee Wood singled, and both scored on a throwing error. Alexis Smith had a triple for IW.