The Kewanee softball team improved to 6-3 on the season after beating Henry-Senachwine (2-5) on Saturday in Henry.
After the first four innings of play, the game was tied at 4-4, but a 3-run seventh inning pushed the Boiler Girls to a 7-4 non-conference win over the Mallards.
Kalleigh Gale (4-1) was the winning pitcher for Kewanee. In her seven innings in the circle, Gale recorded an impressive 14 strikeouts and allowed no walks. She’s averaging 11 K’s per game on the season.
It was the second game this season that the sophomore hurler fanned 14 batters. In addition, she surrendered five hits and four runs (two earned).
Lauren Harbison took the loss for the Mallards. She had eight strikeouts and four walks in the loss. Harbison surrendered 11 hits and seven runs (four earned).
Kewanee 7, Henry-Senachwine 4
The Boiler Girls spotted the Mallards three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Harbison, the home teams’ pitcher, was the first player to score for Henry-Senachwine.
Lexi Serpette then hit a double that sent home Kaitlyn Anderson and Riley Eckert for the early 3-0 first quarter lead.
Kewanee’s bats came to life in the third inning. Gale hit a line drive single to right field and Hannah Tiska and Macee Pickering each scored on an errant throw to close the gap to one (3-2).
In the bottom of the third inning, the Henry-Senachwine lead grew to 4-2 when Anderson hit a home run fly ball to center field.
Not deterred, the Boiler Girls countered with two runs in the fourth inning to knot the score at four runs each.
With two outs on the board, Addison Gerard singled on a line drive to the pitcher. Pickering then hit the first of her two doubles of the game and Gerard advanced to third base.
Lexi Dillender proceeded to hit a double of her own for Kewanee, scoring Gerard and Pickering for the 4-4 tie.
Both teams were held scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings, but the Boiler Girls ended the drought with three big runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Gale got the hit parade started with a line drive triple to right field. Kieryn Abernathy followed up with a single, but Gale was held up at third.
Abernathy stole second base and then Hope Peed hit a grounder and reached base on an error by the shortstop, scoring Gale (5-4). Abernathy advanced to third on the play.
Pickering then uncorked her second double of the day, scoring Abernathy and Peed for the final runs of the game, giving Kewanee the 7-4 win.
At the plate:
The Boiler Girls scored seven runs on 11 hits and hit four doubles on the day (Pickering 2, Gale and Dillender).
Pickering, Gale and Gerard were the leaders at the plate for Kewanee. Pickering and Gale were both 3-4 in the game. Pickering recorded two doubles, one single, two RBI and scored two runs.
Gale hit a triple, a double and a single. She also had two RBI and scored two runs. Gerard was 2-2 at the plate, hitting two singles, taking a walk and scoring one run.
Dillender (1-2, 1 double, 2 RBI, 1 BB). Peed (1-4, 1 RBI, 1 run). Remy Hicks (1-4). Tiska (1 BB, 1 run). Abernathy (1-4, 1 run). Rodgers (1 BB).
