On Thursday afternoon, the St. Louis Community College softball team took a big step in securing the number one seed in the upcoming Region 16 softball tournament by sweeping East Central College 3-2 and 7-4 on the Meramec campus.
Game 1
Kyla Blankenship picked up her 16th win in the circle, as she moved to 16-3 on the year by throwing 7 innings, allowing 0 earned runs while striking out 9 Falcon hitters. Offensively, Anna Counts and Madison Sundling each collected 2 hits, with Sundling adding a double down the leftfield line. Liz Miller had 2 rbi in the game, including driving home the game winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The Archers scored 2 runs in the bottom of the 4th inning when Miller singled up the middle to score Sundling and after Miller stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error by the catcher, Sarah Goers hit a deep fly ball to centerfield to score Miller. The Falcons answered with 2 unearned runs in the top the of the fifth inning and then both offenses went silent for two innings. In the bottom of the seventh inning, Shekinah Griffith reach on an error in the infield and advanced to third on a perfectly placed bunt by Counts. Blankenship reached base with a fielders choice in which no outs were recorded to set the stage for Miller, who with 2 strikes hit a ball hard up the middle that allowed Griffith to score before the throw could reach the catcher to give the Archers the 3-2 win.
Game 2
Counts once again collected two hits in the nightcap and drove in 2 runsto help the Archers collect the sweep. Haley Fisher also added 2 hits, while Sundling knocked in 2 runs and Eva Rasey scored 2 runs. Blankenship and Haley Franklin each doubled in victory.
Kourtney Timper moved to 4-1 on the year as she threw 6 and 2/3 innings while allowing 3 earned runs and striking out 3 hitters.
STLCC improves to 28-8 on the year and 7-3 in Region 16 play and will get a rest as they return to action on Tuesday afternoon vs. the Central Methodist JV team. First pitch is scheduled for 2:00 pm on the Meramec campus.