Vandalia softball finished up the week at 2-1 after beating Litchfield 3-2 on Friday for their second South Central Conference win of the season. The Lady Vandals threatened to score in the bottom of the first putting a pair of baserunners on after back-to-back base hits by Elaina Hagy and Briley Sefton with two outs in the inning, but Hagy was caught stealing third to end the inning with no score. Vandalia again had a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the second inning when Ollie Whitehead doubled with two outs, but she was stranded on base after a strikeout ended the inning and the game stayed scoreless. Litchfield was able to hit the scoreboard first, with a run in the top of the third inning, but the Lady Vandals responded in the bottom half of the frame. With two outs, Bella Walk tripled and was then drive in on an RBI single by Hagy to tie the game up at 1-1. Hagy was stranded on base though as a groundout ended the third. After a scoreless fourth inning, Litchfield was able to retake the lead in the top of the fifth, 2-1, and had runners at first and second with no outs but Vandalia was able to induce a fly out and then got a double play to end the threat and keep Litchfield’s lead at just one run, 2-1. As they did earlier in the game, the Lady Vandals responded to the Purple Panthers run with one of their own to tie the game up. With two outs, Hagy doubled to center field and then came around to score on a single by Briley Sefton to right field. The inning ended when Sefton was called out trying to advance to second on the play, however the game was even at 2-2 to end the inning. In the top of the sixth inning Litchfield put two runners on via a hit by pitch and then a walk with two outs but Walk, the Lady Vandals catcher, fired a shot down to first basemen Mady McCall for the pickoff to end the half inning. As had been the story all game for Vandalia, the Lady Vandals offense got going with two outs in the inning as Whitehead tripled and they came in to score on a single by Kennidee Yarbrough as Vandalia took the 3-2 lead. Vandalia then retired the side for the first time in the game in the top of the seventh to hold their lead and close out the 3-2 win. The Lady Vandals improve to 4-12 on the season and are now 2-3 in the SCC. They will begin next week with a home and home series with Pana, playing at home on Monday and then at Pana on Tuesday with the Tuesday game counting as their SCC matchup for this season.
Vandalia Offense:
Bella Walk – 1-3, R
Elaina Hagy – 3-3, R, RBI
Briley Sefton – 2-3, RBI
Ollie Whitehead – 2-2, BB, R
Kennidee Yarbrough – 2-3, RBI
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