SOFTBALL: Oilers freeze Redbirds
by Theo Tate March 20, 2018

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Photo by Dan Cruz

 
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Photo by Dan Cruz

 
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Photo by Dan Cruz

 
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Photo by Dan Cruz

WOOD RIVER – When East Alton-Wood River senior Peyton Young crossed the plate with no outs in the bottom of the seventh against the Alton Redbirds on Tuesday at the EA-WR softball field, she put an end to a two-hour, wild scoring affair that was played under chilly conditions.

She also helped the Oilers put an end to a long losing streak to the Redbirds.

Young scored the game-winning run on a throwing error from Alton pitcher Alyson Haegele, lifting EA-WR to a 10-9 victory that snapped a 16-game losing streak to the Redbirds.

It's the first time since 2007 the Oilers celebrated a victory over the Redbirds. Last year, Alton beat EA-WR three times.

The Oilers, who were 16-18 last year, improved to 4-1 and won their third straight game. They also picked up victories over Wesclin, Carrollton and Greenville..

The Redbirds, who finished 22-12 in '17, dropped to 1-2 and have scored 29 runs. They split a doubleheader against Centralia on Saturday to start their season.

EA-WR is back in action at 4:15 p.m. Wednesday at Columbia. Alton's next game will be at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Bunker Hill.

Temperatures were in the low 40s at game time on Tuesday, which marked the first day of spring. Several players were wearing hoodies and head warmers and fans were bundled up in blankets.

Despite the conditions, the bats were heating up for both teams. The Redbirds and Oilers combined for 19 runs on 23 hits and three inside-the-park home runs. The EA-WR softball field doesn't have a fence.

Young, who played third base, led off the inning with a single and reached second on a wild pitch. Then, Rebekah Null, who was the winning pitcher, dropped a bunt to Haegele. After fielding the ball, Haegele threw the ball past first base that forced Young to score from second.

The Redbirds and Oilers combined for eight errors on defense, four for each team.

Alton stormed to a 3-0 lead after scoring a run in the first and two in the third before EA-WR came back with five in the bottom of the third to take a 5-3 lead.

The Redbirds scored three in the top of the fifth to take a 6-5 lead, but the Oilers came back with four in the fifth to lead 9-6.

Alton climbed back with two runs in the top of the seventh to tie it at 9-9. EA-WR was one strike away from winning the game when center fielder Teresa Hand dropped a fly ball hit by Kayla Aligholi that forced Abby Sullivan, who singled, to score from second to tie the game.

Morgan Moxey, Taylor Murray, Macie Flanigan and Caitlin Lemond each had two hits for the Oilers. Moxey hit a leadoff, solo inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at 6-6 and start a four-run rally.

Ashlyn Betz, Tami Wong, Miranda Hudson, Rachel McCoy and Audrey Rathgeb had two hits apiece for Alton. Hudson and McCoy each hit solo inside-the-park home runs.

Null went the distance, giving up 5 earned runs on 12 hits and striking out 6.

Haegele came in relief for starting pitcher Abby Scyoc in the bottom of the sixth for the Redbirds.

EAST ALTON-WOOD RIVER 10, ALTON 9

REDBIRDS 102 030 2 — 9  12 4

OILERS 005 040 1 — 10  11 4

REDBIRDS (1-2) -- Tami Wong 2-4, Abby Scyoc 1-4, Ashlyn Betz 2-4 RBI-2, Miranda Hudson 2-3 HR RBI-2, Abby Sullivan 1-4, Rachel McCoy 2-4, Audrey Rathgeb 2-4.

LP -- Haegele 2.0IP 1K 0BB 2H 1R 0ER

Scyoc 5.0IP 3K 0BB 9H 9R 5ER

OILERS (4-1) — Morgan Moxey 2-3 HR RBI, Taylor Murray 2-4 RBI, Macie Flanigan 2-4 RBI, Peyton Young 1-4 RBI, Rebekah Null 0-2 SAC, Ashley Knight 1-3, Dakota Weldon 1-2 RBI, Caitlin Lemond 2-3 RBI.

WP — Rebekah Null 7.0IP 6K 0BB 12H 9R 5ER

East Alton-Wood River softball coach Dana Emerick discusses his team coming from behind to beat Alton 10-9 on Tuesday.

East Alton-Wood River pitcher Rebekah Null discusses her team getting a victory over Alton under chilly conditions on Tuesday.

Alton coach Dan Carter discusses his team suffering a 10-9 loss to East Alton-Wood River on Tuesday.