Eight-run seventh carries St. Vincent girls to seventh win in their last eight games

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- The St. Vincent High School softball team is having another strong season but coach Dusty Wengert said the Indians' offense has been up and down.

Wednesday was definitely one of those 'up' performances.

St. Vincent banged out 18 hits and broke open a close game with an eight-run seventh inning to knock off host Chaffee 15-8.

The Indians improved to 8-5 after winning for the seventh time in their last eight games. Four of their five losses have been to larger schools.

"Our offense has kind of been 'Jekyll & Hyde.' Some days we'll scrape together three or four hits, then there are days like today where we pound it," Wengert said. "We needed all of it because Chaffee is a much improved team."

All nine of the players in St. Vincent's batting order had at least one hit, with five players collecting two hits or more.

"It wasn't our best game, but we hit good," senior center fielder Brooke Monier said.

Monier is among the primary catalysts of a St. Vincent squad that features plenty of speed up and down the lineup.

Monier, who fuels the Indians' running game, went 4 for 5 -- including a bunt single and another infield single -- while stealing four bases and scoring three runs.

Chaffee’s Jessie Evans reacts after flying out in the third inning of the Red Devils’ loss to St. Vincent. (Adam Vogler)

"She's got a lot of speed and she does a nice job in center field," Wengert said. "She was 37 for 37 in stolen bases last year. ... By now she should know it's [the steal sign] coming."

St. Vincent had eight stolen bases in all -- six coming in the first two innings -- including a double steal that featured senior DP Holly Blanford swiping home.

Senior catcher Abby Ruesler went 3 for 4 with a double and four RBIs.

"We hit well." Ruesler said. "I have confidence in all our hitters one through nine. I don't think a lot of teams can say that."

Junior right fielder Paige Yamnitz went 3 for 5 with two RBis.

Senior pitcher Casey Unterreiner and junior third baseman Taylor Kirn added two hits apiece.

Freshman left fielder Abby Rollet drove in three runs. Junior shortstop Kayla Winkler and senior first baseman Isabel Hotop each added two RBIs.

Unterreiner notched the victory in the circle. She allowed eight runs, seven earned, and 12 hits in 6 1/3 innings. She struck out six and walked three.

"She's not overpowering but she does a nice job for us," Wengert said.

Hotop, in her first year with the program, has taken over for Unterreiner as the Indians' pitching ace. She closed out the victory by recording the final two outs in the seventh inning after Chaffee had scored four runs.

Chaffee, which fell to 6-10, also displayed its hitting prowess as first-year coach A.J. Horn said his young team that features only one senior continues to improve.

"We've made big improvements since the first game of the season," Horn said. "Our girls are working really hard trying to get better."

Sophomore right fielder Carleigh Burnett had the game's longest blow, a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning after St. Vincent scored three times in the top of the frame.

Burnett added a double in her second plate appearance, during which she injured an ankle trying to stretch the hit into a triple. She stayed in the game a few more innings before coming out.

"She tried to work through it," Horn said. "She had two really nice hits."

Sophomore DP Lauran Bedwell went 3 for 4. Junior catcher Jessie Evans had two hits and two RBIs.

"We've hit the ball pretty well all year," Horn said.

Sophomore Hannah Seyer, who went 6 1/3 innings in the circle, suffered the loss.

The Indians led all the way after scoring three first-inning runs, but Chaffee cut a 5-1 deficit to 5-4 after three innings.

St. Vincent was still not home free, leading 7-4 after six innings, before the Indians broke things open with their eight-run explosion that featured eight hits.

"It was the one big inning for them. They're a good team," Horn said.

The experienced Indians, who started five seniors and three juniors Wednesday, nearly upset perennial state power Kelly for last year's Class 2 District 1 championship before falling 3-2.

This year the Indians hope to take that next step and capture the district title.

"I feel it's one of our biggest goals," Ruesler said. "We were so close last year. ... If we play our ball, we have a good shot."

But Wengert knows it won't be easy to not only knock off Kelly -- if the squads meet -- but several other tough teams in the district.

"Our hopes are based on how it ended last year and we returned a lot," Wengert said. "But Kelly is the favorite until somebody knocks them off."

St. Vincent 320 200 8 -- 15 18 3

Chaffee 112 000 4 -- 8 12 6

WP -- Casey Unterreiner. LP -- Hannah Seyer. Leading hitters -- St. Vincent: Brooke Monier 4-5, 4 SB, 3 R; Abby Ruesler 3-4, 2B, 4 RBIs; Paige Yamnitz 3-5, 2 RBIs; Unterreiner 2-4; Taylor Kirn 2-5, 2B; Abby Rollet 3 RBIs; Kayla Winkler 2 RBIs; Isabel Hotop 2 RBIs. Chaffee: Lauran Bedwell 3-4; Carleigh Burnett 2-3, HR, 2B; Jessie Evans 2-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Julia Sutterfield 2B; Kaitlin McFerron 2B. Records -- St. Vincent 8-5, Chaffee 6-10.