Jr. Hornettes Start Season
By Brent Huelsmann
The Nashville Jr. Hornettes softball team began the season this past week with the O’Fallon Tournament. Nashville went 1-2 in the tournament as they defeated Collinsville before falling to Smithton and O’Fallon Fulton.
Nashville started the season with a win as they defeated Collinsville 15-3. The Jr. Hornettes got on the board early as they broke out for four runs in the first inning.
The score would hold steady until Nashville broke the game open with six runs in the third to take a commanding 10-0 lead. Collinsville would score three runs over the final two innings of play, but Nashville would go on for a 15-3 win.
Daphne Kollbaum finished with three hits, three runs, and four RBIs in the win for Nashville. Emmerson Paszkiewicz, Ryan Stiegman, and Baylie Newman each finished with two hits and two RBIs for the Jr. Hornettes. Jordan Donato finished the game 2-4 with two runs scored at the top of the lineup for Nashville. Daci Finke added one hit and a RBI in the win. Emily Guest and Jill Kuhl each had a RBI for the Jr. Hornettes. Hope Liszewski and Valerie Combs also got a hit in the win.
The Jr. Hornettes suffered their first loss of the season with a 6-5 loss to Smithton. Smithton took the lead with a run in the first, and held the lead until the third inning when the Jr. Hornettes bats came alive to take the lead.
Nashville would score three runs in the third inning to take a 3-1 lead over Smithton but the lead would not last. Nashville would get two runs in the third, but Smithton would score three in the frame to cut the Jr. Hornettes lead to 5-4 after four innings of play.
In the fifth, Smithton took the lead for good with two runs, and went on for a 6-5 victory. Kollbaum led the way with two hits and two RBIs in the win. Lilly Redman finished the game with two hits, while Donato and Finke each had one hit in the loss. Stiegman, and Annie Ahlers each finished with a RBI for Nashville.
The Jr. Hornettes finished out the tournament with a slugfest, as Nashville fell to O’Fallon Fulton 14-11. Fulton would get the early lead as they led 2-1 after one inning of play. O’Fallon. Fulton would extend their lead in the third, as they scored three runs to take a 5-1 lead.
In the fourth, both teams were able to push runs across the plate, but O’Fallon Fulton was again able to extend their lead going into the fifth inning of play. Nashville would grab two runs, but O’Fallon Fulton put four runs on the board to take a 9-3 lead after four innings of play.
The Jr. Hornettes were able to cut into the lead in the fifth, as Nashville pushed six runs across the plate. O’Fallon Fulton would grab two runs of their own, and cling to an 11-9 lead after five innings of play. In the sixth, The Jr. Hornettes would score twice, but O’Fallon Fulton put three more runs on the board to take a 14-11 lead and go on for the win.
Paszkeiwicz would lead the way for Nashville with three hits in the loss. Ryan Stiegman would add two hits, while Donato, Kollbaum, Ahlers, and Korbi Rhine each finished with a hit apiece for Nashville.
