Saint Gen softball team defeats Kennett

KENNETT, Mo. - The Kennett Lady Indians softball team fell to the Saint Genevieve Dragons 4-3 in the second game of Saturday's double header at Indian Park.

The Lady Indians entered the contest with all the momentum in the world after winning a thriller earlier in the morning 11-2 over East Carter County.

The Dragons suffered a tough defeat at the hands of that same East Carter County squad. To presume a lopsided game was to follow is "Why You Play the Games.”

Kennett came into the game at 14-4 after that big win, and the Dragons, after a mercy rule loss in five innings, had fallen to 9-7 on the season.

But the Saint Gen squad had its best pitcher, junior Ava Greer in the circle.

And she did not disappoint.

The starter for Kennett, Avery Payne, walked the first two batters and Lady Indians head coach Logan Dollins sent in reliever Handley McAtee.

Ste. Gen scored the first run of the game in the second inning on a single by leadoff hitter, junior Chloe Staffen, who ended up on base three times, scoring once and driving in one.

Greer, the starter for Saint Gen, made that lead hold up for four impressive innings by retiring 12 of the 16 girls she faced, striking out 8, while only allowing two hits and two walks.

McAtee was equally impressive.

After allowing the lone run in the second inning, she retired 12 of the next 13 Hunter batters from the third to the 6th inning, only giving a single to junior Alyssa Cook with two outs in the fourth.

Kennett scored two runs in the fifth and one run in the sixth, taking the lead into the top of the seventh inning, 3-1.

The Dragons' Autumn Werner led off the inning and hit a fly out to center, Olyvia Beckerman struck out and Kennett was one out away from a win.

But it was not to be.

A pinch hitter was put in for Mariah Abt in the ninth spot and she reached first on an error, bringing up Ste. Gen's leadoff hitter Staffen. Staffen grounded a slow roller down the third base line that Kennett's Emma Claire Bodkin fielded thinking the ball was fair and was about to make the throw to first that would have ended the game.

But the home plate umpire ruled that Bodkin had fielded the ball while it was in foul territory and called the play dead.

The following pitch breathed new life into Staffen and she singled to right field, which brought up Greer.

Greer, who had pitched her heart out for the Dragons, was the last hope. She lofted a routine fly ball to deep center field that would have been the final out.

But as luck would have it, wind carried the ball farther away from the Kennett center fielder. She reached for the ball, it bounced from the top of her glove and fell over the fence for a go ahead three run home run.

Kennett mounted a rally in the bottom of the seventh but fell short and the team stranded two runners on base.

Greer had pitched seven strong innings, six hits, three runs allowed (none earned), 11 strikeouts with five walks and the game winning three-run home run in the seventh.

Kennett falls to 14-5 and traveled to Wilson, Ark., on Monday to face Rivercrest at 4:30.

Ste. Gen improves to 10-7 and begins MAAA Conference Tournament play on Monday.