After three straight games scoring four runs or fewer, Collinsville Softball Head Coach Cindy Kolda adjusted the top of her lineup. The team has scored in double-digits in each of the three games since the change, and have won by exactly 10 runs each game, including an 11-1 Southwestern Conference win over Granite City Tuesday.

Emily Lautz slides in to home safely / Photo by Sherry Holten

With Becky Gibbs leading off and Jessica Ledford hitting second, Kolda appears to have found a sparkplug combination. Gibbs scored three times Tuesday and Ledford drove in three. Ledford also scored a pair of runs.

In the three games since the switch, Gibbs has scored eight runs while Ledford has driven in five and scored four. Kolda said the top of the order combination plays to each players strengths.

“It gives Becky an opportunity to run a bit more,” Kolda said. “Early in the year, Ledford was getting all of these extra base hits, but she didn’t have anyone on to drive in.”

Collinsville (9-3, 1-2 SWC) held only a 1-0 lead through the first two innings Tuesday, before putting 10 runs on the board over the final three innings. Granite City (1-12, 0-4 SWC) scored an unearned run in the 4th against Addison Wickiser, for their only run of the contest.

Wickiser pitched all five innings, allowing three hits while striking out six, walking one and surrendering only the unearned run. Two of Granite City’s three hits came in the first inning. Kolda said Wickiser struggle a bit with her command in the first, before settling down.

Scoring for the Kahoks were Gibbs (3), Ledford (2), Kassidy Smith (1), Sidney Bost (2), Emily Lautz (2) and Kadie Ringering (1). Joining Ledford with three RBI in the game was Ringering. Samantha Buettner added a pair of RBI and Smith, Sarah Scrum and Lautz each added a RBI.

Lautz received her second start in the past three games and had two hits, in addition to scoring twice and adding an RBI.

The Kahoks next play at Belleville East Thursday at 4:30 p.m.