St. Vincent softball extends winning streak

~ The INdians made Saxony their 12 straight victim in reaching the Class 2 District 1 final

BENTON, Mo. -- St. Vincent softball coach Dusty Wengert was apprehensive about playing a solid Saxony Lutheran squad for the third time this season.

"They're very salty. The third time playing them I think had us nervous," Wengert said. "We had beaten them twice. Trying to beat a team three times is tough."

Wengert's concern was valid because Saxony gave St. Vincent all it could handle.

But the second-seeded Indians rallied past the third-seeded Crusaders 8-5 in Thursday's Class 2 District 1 tournament semifinal at Kelly High School.

"We talked about districts. ... [It] isn't about winning, it's about surviving. We survived," Wengert said.

The Indians, who improved the program's best-ever record to 18-5 by posting their 12th straight win, advanced to today's 3:30 p.m. title game against top-seeded host Kelly.

Saxony, which like St. Vincent set a school mark for wins this year, ended its best-ever season at 15-8 despite having no seniors and just four juniors.

"We knew we'd play St. Vincent a tight game," Saxony coach Talitha Beaudean said. "This is a tough district. We showed we could compete."

There wasn't a whole lot of difference between the squads, who both hit the ball well and made some nice defensive plays while committing a few costly errors.

The Crusaders had 12 hits and the Indians 10. Two St. Vincent errors led to two unearned runs for Saxony; three Saxony errors led to four unearned runs for St. Vincent.

St. Vincent senior Isabel Hotop pitched all seven innings. She allowed only one run over the final four innings and struck out seven while issuing no walks.

"She did a good job. When you don't walk anybody, it really helps," Wengert said.

Hotop said it wasn't one of her better performances, but she credited the Crusaders' offense.

"I thought I pitched decently," Hotop said. "But they do have good hitters. It took me a while to figure them out."

Hotop has been a nice addition to an experienced St. Vincent team. She is in her first year with the program after previously being homeschooled, but she is certainly no stranger to softball.

"I've been playing since I was 7," she said with a smile.

St. Vincent trailed 4-2 after 2 1/2 innings before taking the lead for good with a three-run fourth that made it 6-4.

All three runs were unearned after Saxony committed a bases-loaded error with two outs.

The Crusaders cut the deficit to 6-5 before St. Vincent added late insurance.

"I didn't think it was our best game, but we came out with a win. That's all that matters," St. Vincent senior Brooke Monier said.

Freshman Abby Rollet went 3 for 4 with two doubles to lead St. Vincent. Monier had two hits and three stolen bases while junior Kayla Winkler added two hits.

Sophomore Grace Mirly paced Saxony with three hits. Sophomores Logan Welker and Kelli Brunke, along with junior Abby Hadler, all added two hits.

Junior Natalie Schlimpert was the losing pitcher. She allowed six runs, three earned, and eight hits in four innings.

St. Vincent will try to upset perennial state power Kelly in today's championship game. The Indians lost to the Hawks 3-2 in last year's district final.

"We kind of expected to play Kelly. We prepared for them," Monier said.

Saxony 121 010 0 -- 5 12 3

St. Vincent 201 311 x -- 8 10 2

WP -- Isabel Hotop. LP -- Natalie Schlimpert. Leading hitters -- Saxony: Grace Mirly 3-4; Kelli Brunke 2-3; Logan Welker 2-4; Abby Hadler 2-4; Ashlynn Collier 2B. St. Vincent: Abby Rollet 3-4, 2 2B; Brooke Monier 2-3, 3 SB; Kayla Winkler 2-4. Records -- Saxony 15-8, St. Vincent 18-5.