Chargers Drop Pair of Tight Contests at Highland

  Aaron Frey
  Wednesday, April 25, 2018 10:08 AM
  Athletics

Freeport, IL

The Carl Sandburg College softball team hung tough with Arrowhead Conference champion Highland on Thursday but came up short in a pair of tight contests, falling 4-0 and 2-1.

The Chargers dropped to 15-27 overall and 10-6 in the league, while the Cougars closed their Arrowhead schedule with a 19-1 record.

GAME 1
Highland 4, Sandburg 0
Sandburg         000      000      0          —        0          3          1
Highland          200      020      x          —        4          9          2
L: Kylie Stineman 6 IP, 3 K, 0 BB

Key Moment
Trailing 2-0 in the fourth, the Chargers had their best scoring chance of the game when Abigail Stranger (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon) and Madison Benge (Stronghurst, Ill./West Central) delivered back-to-back one-out singles. Highland, though, escaped the jam as Lizzie Malcolm (Milan, Ill./Alleman) flied out to left and Adre Vetter (Emden, Ill./Hartsburg-Emden) struck out to end the inning.

Sandburg Star of the Game
Pitcher Kylie Stineman (New Boston, Ill./Mercer County) did her best to keep the Cougars at bay, scattering nine hits in six innings while striking out three batters.

GAME 2
Highland 2, Sandburg 1
Sandburg         000      010      0          —        1          3          1
Highland          000      101      x          —        2          7          0
L: Madison Benge 6 IP, 1 K, 3 BB

Key Moments

• Sandburg evened the score at 1-1 in the fifth on back-to-back doubles with two out from Vetter and Jada Fletcher (Oquawka, Ill./West Central).
• The Cougars scored the go-ahead run in the sixth as Lauren Cramer led off with a double, moved to third on a bunt and scored on Karlee Doege’s single to left.

Sandburg Star of the Game
Benge took the loss in the circle despite turning in one of her best pitching performances of the season. The freshman allowed seven hits, struck out one and walked three over six innings.

Up Next
The Chargers travel to face Illinois Valley at 3 p.m. Wednesday in another Arrowhead doubleheader. Sandburg closes the regular season at 3 p.m. Friday at home against Sauk Valley.

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