High School Girls Softball
Railers softball team adds a couple wins

 

[April 14, 2024] 

It was a week full of games for the Lincoln Railers softball team. Some outcomes were better than others, with the team going 2-4 for the week. The losses were not pretty. In fact, all the losses were shutouts. But the wins were awesome, starting with a 12-2 victory over Athens on Monday and ending with a 7-6 win over Prairie Central on Friday.

Kelsey Marten and Regan Kutz each hit a couple home runs during the week’s wins. More positive takeaways continue to be the hot hitting of Taryn Stoltzenburg, Grey Gilbert and Faith Eckhardt. The young pitching staff of Madisen Wurth, Regan Kutz and Norah Block continue to take their knocks but they each show a great deal of potential as underclassmen pitching at the Varsity level.

Athens 2
Lincoln 12

On Monday the Railers defeated Athens 12-2 in six innings. After a first inning home run by the Lady Warriors shortstop, Preslie Buckmaster, Lincoln came back to score three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

Stoltzenburg started the game with a single and a stolen base. She then took third on Gilbert’s bunt single and scored on a wild pitch. After Kutz walked, Marten singled. Two more runs scored after an error by the centerfielder. Athens escaped further damage in the inning as Lincoln was on top 3-1.

In the bottom of the second inning Lincoln plated five runs. Norah Block reached base on a lead-off walk and Morgan Sheley landed on base thanks to a fielder’s choice. Stoltzenburg followed with a single to load the bases. Kutz had no problem bringing home a couple runs on a double to center and then it was Marten keeping the centerfielder hopping as she watched a big fly go over the fence for a three-run homer. Lincoln’s lead climbed to 8-1.

Kenzie Szoke added a solo home run in the top of the third inning for the Lady Warriors.

Lincoln slammed the door early in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring four more runs. Grey Gilbert had the big hit here. Her three-run triple to center cleared the bases as Block, Sheley and Stoltzenburg each crossed home plate. Kutz followed with a run-scoring single on the second pitch to bring home Gilbert with the run to end the game early, 12-2 the final score.

Offensively against Athens, Lincoln’s top of the order was very impressive, getting 9 of the team’s 10 hits.

Stoltzenburg was 2-for-3 with three runs scored from the lead-off position.

Gilbert was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the no. 2 spot.

Kutz was 3-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs scored in the no. 3 hole.

Marten batted clean up and she went 2-for-3 with a run scored and four RBIs.

Emma Hutchison had the other hit for Lincoln.

Kutz started the game for Lincoln and went two innings, allowing three hits and one run.

Madisen Wurth pitched four innings in relief, allowing one run and five hits. Wurth struck out three batters.

Lincoln 0
Springfield 1

Tuesday was a 1-0 loss against Springfield as the Senators scored the only run of the game in the third inning on an error.

Kutz and Wurth each pitched three innings.

Kutz gave up two hits and one unearned run while striking out two batters.

Wurth was terrific with four strikeouts and no hits, runs or walks allowed.

Gilbert had two of Lincoln’s three hits. Sheley had the other hit.

Glenwood 12
Lincoln 0

Thursday was a rough day for the Railers, taking a 12-0 loss at the hands of the Glenwood Titans.

Stoltzenburg and Block had the only two hits of the game for Lincoln.

Kutz, Wurth and Block shared the pitching duties, with each of them getting knocked around equally.

Taryn Griffith had a home run for the Titans and she led the team with three hits and four RBIs.

Prairie Central 6
Lincoln 7

Kelsey Marten and Regan Kutz put smiles back in the dugout by hitting the long ball on Friday versus Prairie Central as the Railers held on to win 7-6.

Marten led off the bottom of the second inning with a home run to give Lincoln the 1-0 edge.

In the bottom of the third inning Kutz hit a three-run shot to center to extend the lead to 4-0. Stoltzenburg and Gilbert each scored on the hit after recording singles in the inning.

In the top of the fourth inning Prairie Central scored twice on a double by Sam Slagel, cutting the lead in half 4-2.

Slagel homered in the top of the fifth to make the score 4-3.

Marten slugged her second home run of the game to start the bottom of the sixth inning. Faith Eckhardt and Madisen Wurth added RBI singles to increase the lead to 7-3.

A walk, an error and two doubles is how Prairie Central began their half of the seventh inning. In the blink of an eye the score was 7-5. A single and a wild pitch later the score was 7-6.

The Railers ended the game with a ground out recorded at first by Wurth and the 7-6 win was quickly in the books.

Each team had nine hits in the game.

Lincoln was led by Gilbert, Marten and Eckhardt with two hits apiece. Stoltzenburg, Kutz and Wurth each had one hit.

Kutz started the game for Lincoln and worked three and two-thirds innings. She gave up three hits and two earned runs. She walked two and struck out four.

Wurth pitched the middle two and two-thirds innings in relief. She gave up four hits and two earned runs. She walked one and struck out two.

Block tossed two-thirds of an inning, allowing two hits and one earned run.

Metamora 7
Lincoln 0

Metamora 5
Lincoln 0

Saturday was a gorgeous day for a softball game but it turned ugly for the Railers, who dropped a doubleheader to Metamora.

In the 7-0 loss to the Redbirds in game one, Kutz had the only hit for Lincoln.

In the 5-0 loss in game two versus Metamora, Stoltzenburg and Marten had Lincoln’s two hits.

Lincoln’s record is now 6-11on the season.

[Teena Lowery]