Lincoln Junior High School girls softball off to a stellar 7-2 start

[August 15, 2018] 

The Lincoln Junior High School girls softball season is well underway with the girls playing nine games already in the first eleven days of the season.

The Trojans boast a 7-2 record, which is highlighted by some pretty impressive wins by large margins, dotted with a couple close defeats and capped off by a comeback win at home just yesterday afternoon.

11-1 win over Porta

The girls first took the field on August 4th as the Trojans defeated Porta 11-1 in the 2018 season opener. Cara Farnam was the winning pitcher of that game and she gave up just one hit while striking out 11 batters and walking just two. Her five innings of work earned her the first win of the season. Arianna Morris was 3-for-4 at the plate for Lincoln while Farnam was 2-for-3 at the plate. Riley Tungate and Chloe Johnston also had hits for the Trojans.

5-4 loss to Glenwood

The game on August 6th versus Chatham Glenwood was a tough loss for the Trojans. The girls led the game 3-0 going into the fifth inning but a series of errors late in the game allowed Glenwood to take the 5-4 win. Farnam was the losing pitcher but allowed only two hits and struck out 10 batters in the game. Alex Eads had a single and a double for Lincoln and she also scored two runs and recorded an RBI. Riley Tungate had a single and two runs scored for the Trojans. Farnam contributed a double and two RBIs in the loss.

2-0 loss to Evans

In a pitcher's duel on August 7th versus Bloomington Evans, the Trojans were shutout 2-0 as the pitcher for Evans tossed a no-hitter and recorded 13 strikeouts. Cara Farnam was in the circle for Lincoln. Farnam threw six innings and struck out 12 batters and walked four. Farnam allowed one hit and two runs, neither of which were earned runs. Abbie Arnold was the only Trojan to reach base. Arnold earned a walk.

Lincoln Junior High School girls defeated Mount Pulaski 15-0 on August 8, 2018.

15-0 win over Mount Pulaski

Cara Farnam was spectacular on August 8th versus Mount Pulaski as the Trojans picked up a 15-0 win over the Honeybears. Farnam threw a no-hitter in four innings. She struck out nine batters and walked only one. Nevaeh McCree was 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and three runs scored. Arianna Morris was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Chloe Johnston was 2-for-2 with two runs scored. Faith Eckhardt was 1-for-3 with three RBIs. Riley Tungate was 1-for-2 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Adi Rumler and Emma Robinson each added an RBI and a run scored in the win.

Lincoln Junior High School softball coach Emily Kohl talks to her team following the 15-0 win over Mount Pulaski.

15-0 win over Jefferson

After missing a perfect game the night before, Cara Farnam was perfect in a 15-0 victory over Champaign Jefferson on August 9th. Farnam struck out nine batters in four innings from the circle and the rest of the stat line featured goose eggs. Offensively Lincoln connected for nine hits and defensively the team did not commit a single error in the field. Chloe Johnston was a perfect 3-for-3 from the plate with 3 RBIs. Adi Rumler was 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs and 3 runs scored. Farnam was 2-for-3 while slugging a double and a triple with 3 RBIs and two runs scored. Arianna Morris also had a hit and drove in two runs. Lead-off hitter Riley Tungate had a base hit and scored two runs for Lincoln.

17-2 win over Stephen Decatur

Lincoln continued to swing hot bats on August 10th versus Stephen Decatur. The Trojans pitching was once again outstanding from Cara Farnam and the bullpen this time as the team easily won 17-2 over Stephen Decatur.

Farnam earned the win by allowing no runs and just one hit over two innings of work. Farnam struck out six batters and walked no one.

Chloe Johnston threw two innings in relief. A 13-run fourth inning by Lincoln sealed the victory. Lincoln slugged 11 hits and took advantage of eight errors in the field by Stephen Decatur. Johnston was 3-for-3 at the plate for Lincoln with 2 RBIs and four runs scored. Adi Rumler was 3-for-4 with 3 RBIs and two runs scored. Farnam was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and three runs scored. Nevaeh McCree was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored. Taryn Stolzenburg slugged a run-scoring triple in the fourth inning to make the score 17-2.

10-4 win over Tremont

Lincoln hosted Tremont on August 11th and a nice eight-run second inning was key in this 10-4 win over the Turks. Farnam threw seven innings from the circle and gave up four runs on six hits. Only one run was earned. She struck out seven batters and walked two. Adi Rumler was tearing it up for the Trojans from the plate and on the base paths. Rumler was 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored. In addition she stole three bases for Lincoln. Malena Kirgan played a great second base and was 2-for-3 at the plate with 2 RBIs. Arianna Morris and Farnam added the other hits for Lincoln in the win.

17-2 win over Hartem

The Trojans are riding a five-game winning streak as they improved their record to 6-2 with a 17-2 thumping of the Hartem Stags on August 13th. Cara Farnam (6-2) was the starting pitcher for Lincoln versus Hartem. Farnam tossed a scoreless two innings and struck out six batters and walked one. Chloe Johnston entered the circle in relief and she allowed two runs on one hit. Johnston struck out two batters and walked one in her inning out of the bullpen. Arianna Morris had a double and 3 RBIs for the Trojans. Malena Kirgan and Farnam each had a double and two RBIs at the plate. Adi Rumler, Neveah McCree and Johnston also recorded hits for Lincoln.

 7-6 win over Normal Chiddix

The Trojans stretched their winning streak to six games with a 7-6 comeback win over Normal Chiddix on August 14th. Chiddix scored two runs in the top of the first inning on errors committed by Lincoln. The Trojans got those runs back in the bottom of the first inning on an error and a passed ball. Nevaeh McCree's RBI single in the bottom of the second inning gave Lincoln a 3-2 lead. In the top of the third inning Chiddix took a 4-3 lead on a throwing error and a groundout. Chiddix added an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning on an error by the Trojan catcher.

Lincoln tied the game 5-5 in the bottom of the fifth inning as Adi Rumler and Farnam each scored on errors committed by Chiddix. The bottom of the sixth inning was the difference maker as Rumler's line drive double to left field scored Riley Tungate and Arianna Morris. With Lincoln holding a 7-5 lead, Farnam headed for the circle to pitch the top of the seventh inning. Lincoln recorded the first out on a liner to third. A walk and a single to right field allowed Chiddix to score a run off Farnam with one out. Farnam was then able to get two groundouts to the shortstop Tungate for the the final outs of the game and Lincoln held on to win 7-6 over Chiddix.

Farnam (7-2) earned the win for Lincoln. She went the distance allowing six runs on four hits. Only one of the runs was earned. Farnam struck out six batters and walked two.

At the plate McCree was 2-for-3 with an RBI. Rumler was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. Rumler's double in the sixth inning was the big blow for Chiddix. Tungate was 1-for-3 with a run scored. Morris scored two runs for Lincoln. Farnam drew three walks and scored a run. Malena Kirgan drew two walks and scored a run. Chloe Johnston added a single for Lincoln.

Lincoln Junior High will play today (Wednesday) at Illini Central at 4 p.m.
The Trojans host Williamsville on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
Friday Lincoln Junior High will host Lincoln Magnet at 4:30 p.m.
Saturday the Trojans play at the Brimfield Tournament.

The Trojans are coached by Emily Kohl with Amber Jordan serving as the assistant coach.

[Teena Lowery]