The Kahoks softball team hit three consecutive first inning home runs and their first seven batters scored as they sprinted past the Lebanon Greyhounds for a 24-3 victory Saturday.

Photo by Roger Starkey

Collinsville (2-0) hit seven home runs at the fence-less field and hammered out 25 hits. Head Coach Cindy Kolda said the team crushed the ball against a Greyhound pitcher making her first varsity start.

“I’ve never seen some of them hit the ball as hard as they did today,” Kolda said.

The lack of fence in the outfield meant all of the home runs were legged out, although most would have cleared the fences at other ballparks, Kolda said.

“We probably would have had five anyway, if there was a fence or not,” Kolda said. “Kas Smith hit a ball farther than I’ve ever seen a ball hit by a female, so yea, that one definitely would have gone out.”

Jessica Ledford started the onslaught with a triple in the game’s first at bat. If she had not slipped on a freshly painted third-base bag, she would have homered, also. Kadie Ringering was next up and knocked Ledford in with a single.

Smith followed Ringering with a single and scored on the game’s first home run, a three-run blast from cleanup hitter Alex Holten. Becky Gibbs and Samantha Buettner followed with long balls of their own and the Kahoks had a 6-0 lead following the game’s first six hitters.

Collinsville scored 10 runs in the third and six more in the fifth against Lebanon (0-1). The Kahoks had seven players record a multi-hit game, nine with at least one RBI and 14 players with at least one hit.

The only freshman on the varsity roster, Emily Lautz, hit a home run in her first varsity at bat. Smith and Buettner sprinted around all four bases twice Saturday. Smith lead the team with four hits and four RBI. Buettner and Ringering knocked in three runs each.

Sidney Bost pitched all five innings for Collinsville. Only one of the three runs she surrendered was earned. Bost fanned seven, walked three and allowed four hits.

The Kahoks play three games next week. They travel to Bethalto for 4:15 p.m. contest Monday before returning home to host Dupo on Tuesday and Jersey (Jerseyville) Thursday. Both home games are at 4:30 p.m. at the Collinsville Sports Complex.