In the Apollo Conference softball finale, Mattoon won a wild back-and-forth game over Effingham, 10-9. Kynlee McGraw’s base hit to right field drove in Layla Cole with the game-winning run in the bottom of the seventh inning. How the game got to that point, however, was anything but a straight line.
Effingham scored three runs in the first inning. The Hearts used four extra base hits including an RBI triple by Cora Hartmann to get an early advantage. Mattoon scored single runs in the first and third innings to close the gap to 3-2 heading into the fourth inning. The Greenwave offense erupted for five runs in the fourth inning to surge in front by a 7-3 count. After Kenna Karnes was hit by a pitch and Kynlee McGraw walked, Micheala Starwalt launched a three-run home run over the right field wall. The Hearts answered right back in the top of the fifth with three runs. Ryley Engel had a run-scoring single ahead of Natalie Armstrong’s 12th home run of the year. That closed the gap to 7-6. Mattoon scored a run in the bottom of the fifth when Karnes was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
In the sixth inning, Effingham climbed within a single run after Molly Maxedon’s sacrifice fly scored Gieah Schlanser. It stayed 8-7 in Mattoon’s favor until the seventh inning. With two outs and two strikes, Schlanser delivered a two-run double down the left field line to put the Hearts back in front, 9-8. Effingham was within three outs of claiming the win AND clinching the Apollo Conference softball title. However, Alayna Gordon drew a leadoff walk for Mattoon. Ava Leo cracked a double into the right-center field gap. It was Leo’s third hit of the game. Gordon came all the way around from first to tie the score at 9-9. Layla Cole put down a sac bunt and ended up reaching on an error. That put runners at first and third. After a fielder’s choice erased pinch runner Kayley Griffin at home, Kynlee McGraw smacked the game-winning hit to right field, scoring Cole to give Mattoon the 10-9 victory.
The loss by Effingham means Mt. Zion becomes the Apollo Conference champion with an 8-2 record. Effingham finished at 7-3 and would have won the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Braves if they had tied atop the league standings. Mattoon finished Apollo play at 3-7.
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