Collinsville came from behind the tie the score twice against Breese Mater Dei Monday in a non-conference game at the Collinsville Sports Complex, but could not comeback a third time, losing 7-5.
Samantha Buettner slides home safely / Photo by Sherry Holten
The Kahoks (15-14) fell behind before they came to bat when the Knights (17-5) leadoff hitter doubled and came around to score on a groundout. Collinsville returned the favor when leadoff hitter Becky Gibbs doubled and scored on a Caitlyn Brombolich RBI sacrifice.
Mater Dei regained the lead in the third when, with the bases loaded, a fly ball to left field was misplayed. The ball skipped through the tall grass all the way to the fence, clearing the bases and giving the visitors a 4-1 lead.
In the top of the fourth, with a runner on third base, Sarah Scrum made a nice pick at third base and fired to first where Alex Holten made the first of three fine defensive plays on the day, to save a run. The play appeared to loom large when Collinsville scored three in the bottom of the frame to knot the game.
Scrum reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the fourth and Samantha Buettner followed with a single. After a Holten sacrifice advanced the runners, pitcher Sidney Bost hit a fly ball that the left fielder misjudged, allowing it to sail over her head for a two-RBI double. Scrum culminated her eventful inning by scoring on an RBI single by Audrey Allard that tied the game at four.
Mater Dei came right back with a run in the top of the fifth, although a clerical error may have deprived them of more runs. When the lineups were submitted, player #5 for Mater Dei was listed as playing position six (shortstop). However, number #6 was actually playing position five (third base).
Collinsville caught the error when #5 entered the game as a substitute runner in the inning. After #6, Emmerynn Wheelan, singled to score a run with one out and the bases loaded, Collinsville Head Coach Cindy Kolda brought the error to the attention of the umpires. Wheelan was ruled out, but was awarded an RBI for the run that, by rule, was allowed to stand. Bost fanned the next hitter to end the inning.
The Knights pushed across two more in the top of the sixth to stretch the lead to 7-4. Holten singled and later scored on the back half of an attempted double steal in the bottom of the inning, to pull Collinsville to within 7-5, but they were not able to get any closer.
Despite the loss, Kolda said her team played well.
“A couple of plays different and we win that game,” Kolda said. “Nothing to hang your head about.”
Bost pitched the first six innings for Collinsville and was charged with four earned runs and seven runs allowed. She struck out one and walked one. Addison Wickiser pitched a perfect seventh in relief.
Gibbs, Kassidy Smith, and Allard led the Kahoks with two hits each. Brombolich, Buettner, Holten, Bost and Paige Giacoletto contributed one hit apiece. Brombolich chipped in a pair of sacrifices.
Collinsville plays host to Belleville East at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.
