Red Bud 3, Carlyle 0
Ciara Schaefer tossed a complete game shutout as Red Bud topped Carlyle 3-0 Tuesday, as the Lady Musketeers continue their winning ways late in the season.
With the win, Red Bud has won 10 of its last 12 games and improved to 16-8 on the season and 7-2 in Cahokia Conference Mississippi Division softball action.
The Lady Musketeers scored single runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings.
Schaefer gave up no runs on just five hits to notch the victory.
Bianca Durbin and Andrea Hartmann each had two hits and an RBI to pace Red Bud, while Lauren Horrell was 1-for-4 with a run batted in.
Sparta 5, Marissa-Coulterville 2
Sparta scored three runs in the first inning to hold off Marissa-Coulterville 5-2 Monday.
Corrie Opolka reached on an error and Shanell Roberts reached base after being hit by a pitch. Both runners would come around to score on a two-out double by Alexis Kohrs. Kohrs later came in on an RBI single by Julian Sroka.
The Lady Bulldogs added a single run in the top of the third when Jamie Woodworth got one of her two doubles of the game and later scored on an RBI single by Roberts.
Corey Pitchford got the Lady Meteors on the board in the bottom of the third with a two-out home run with the bases empty.
Sparta scored in the sixth to take the 5-2 lead. Kohrs singled and came home on a Sroka triple.
“We did a nice job putting the ball in play, however, I thought we could have done a better job of running the bases,” said Sparta coach Roger Gerlach. “We made a couple of blunders that would have been devastating if it was a tighter game.”
Kohrs went the distance giving up two runs on four hits, while striking out 11 and walking three. The overall team record improved to 16-7 while Kohrs personal record stands at 14-6.
Ashley Lehman took the loss for Marissa-Coulterville, while Camille Bumann was 2-for-3 to lead the offense.
Goreville 9, Pinckneyville 6
Dani Jenkel and Shersty Stanton combined to drive in five runs but it was not enough as Pinckneyville fell to Goreville 9-6 Monday.
Each team scored single runs in the first two inning but Goreville took the lead for good scoring two runs in the fourth and three in the fifth.
Emily Chapman was saddled with the loss. Jenkel was 1-for-3 with a home run and three runs batted in, while Stanton was 2-for-2 with two RBI.
Vienna 13, Chester 3
Vienna tallied seven runs in the first inning and never looked back in a 13-3 victory over Chester Monday in Black Diamond action.
Vienna led 11-0 before Chester drove in two runs in the top of the fourth.
Taylor Gross took the loss for Chester, while the offense was paced by Rachel Sheely (1-for-2) and Gross (1-for-3 with an RBI).
The Lady Jackets dropped to 4-15 on the season and 0-8 in conference play with the loss.
Nashville 4, Sparta 2
Sparta’s eight-game win streak was halted Friday with a 4-2 loss to Nashville. Nashville, with the win, clinched a share of the conference title as long with first year conference member Carterville.
With two top pitchers doing battle scoring was hard to come by. Nashville  scored first with two runs in the second inning, as Jenna Morris delivered on a two-out double. 
Sparta tied the score with two runs in the fourth inning as Shanell Roberts and Alexis Kohrs both reached with singles with one-out. Julian Sroka put the ball in play and as a result of some very aggressive base running by Kohrs, both Roberts and Kohrs scored on an errant pick-off  attempt to knot the score at two runs apiece. 
Nashville would later pick up the winning runs in the bottom of the sixth inning as Molly Browiak delivered a two-run, two-out double for the winning margin of 4-2.
“It was a tight game and just like all conference season there is such a fine line between winning and losing, and today they just got the timely key hits,” Sparta coach Roger Gerlach said. “We tip our caps to them and hope we get another chance at them in the regional.”
Sparta, should they win the first round game against Waltonville, will match up with Nashville  Wednesday, May 18 in a regional semifinal game.
Kohrs and Katelyn Blount each had two hits on the day to lead the offense. Roberts and Jade Vaughn added the other two hits for the six hit total. Kohrs had five strikeouts and two walks in the loss.
Sparta’s overall record dropped to 15-7 with the loss.  This week the Lady Bulldogs conclude their regular season with a senior recognition game with Freeburg Friday.
Red Bud 2, Columbia 1
Tara Hubert kept the Columbia batters off tract as she led Red Bud to a 2-1 win over Columbia Friday. The loss was Columbia’s first in conference play.
Hubert tossed all seven innings allowing one run on four hits, while striking out five for the win. Andrea Hartmann drove in both runs for the Lady Musketeers.
Mater Dei 7, Marissa-Coulterville 3
Marissa-Coulterville fell behind 6-0 and couldn’t recover late in a 7-3 loss to Mater Dei Friday.
Mater Dei scored a single run in the top of the second inning, five in the sixth and one in the seventh.
The Lady Meteors posted a pair of runs in the sixth and another run in the seventh.
Ashley Lehman took the loss, as she went the distance allowing seven runs, four earned, on 11 hits.
Katie Shubert drove in two runs to pace the Lady Meteor attack, while Kendra Goss had one RBI.
Sparta 10, Murphysboro 0
Sparta scored seven runs in the first two innings and coasted to a 10-0 win over Murphysboro Friday.
The Lady Bulldogs took advantage of four early errors by a very porous Devil defense. Sparta jumped out early with three runs in the first behind consecutive hits from Shanell Roberts, Alexis Kohrs, Julian Sroka and Taylor Craig. 
In the second inning, the Red Devil defense had another defensive lapse as three errors led to the four-run inning after a dropped fly ball that would have ended the inning.
“They really struggled early defensively,” Sparta coach Roger Gerlach said. “I’m glad we were putting the ball in play to make the defense work.”
Sparta got another fine pitching performance from Kohrs, who allowed only one hit, while striking out seven and walking three. Her personal record this year improves to 13-5, while the team record moves to 15-6.
Julian Sroka led the team offensively going 2-for-3 with a home run. Kohrs added a triple as the other extra base hit.  Jade Vaughn, Roberts, Craig, Katie Hill and Katelyn Blount added singles.
“I really like the improved play over the course of the year,” added Gerlach. “Now is when you would like to be playing solid, heading into the latter part of the season.”
Marissa-Coulterville 4, New Athens 3
Marissa-Coulterville rallied to score four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning for an exciting 4-3 win over New Athens Thursday.
Ashley Lehman went the distance allowing three runs, just one earned, on eight hits, while striking out 12 for the win.
Kendra Goss led the way for the Marissa-Coulterville offense with two runs batted in, while Camille Bumann and Abbie Lehman each  finished with an RBI.
Red Bud 3, Freeburg 1
Red Bud rallied to score two runs in the top of the eighth inning to sneak past Freeburg 3-1 Thursday in Cahokia Conference action.
Andrea Hartmann pitched all eight innings allowing one run on eight hits to notch the win.
Amy Koester and Brooke Moses each drove in a run to lead the Lady Musketeers to the two-run win.