Hornettes Split Two Games

Mackenzie McFeron looks to lay down a bunt during the Hornettes 17-0 win over Waterloo Gibault on May 1.
With just one week remaining in the regular season, the Nashville Hornettes softball team is looking to head into the postseason with momentum. The Hornettes have four games remaining in the regular season three of which are on the road. The Hornettes play at O’Fallon on May 9, at Alton Marquette on May 10, and at home on May 11 against Wesclin before ending the regular season on the road against Steeleville on May 12. The Hornettes split their two games this week as they crushed Gibault 17-0 before dropping a close game to Woodlawn 4-2.
The Hornettes started the month of May with an easy win over Waterloo Gibault 17-0. The Hornettes scored early and often, putting up three in the first, four in the second, four in the third, and six in the fourth.
The Hornettes grabbed the lead on a sacrifice fly by Libby Ahlers. Jordan Stiegman followed it up with a solo home run in the first. Karly Stanowski hit a RBI single in the first to give the Hornettes a 3-0 advantage after the first.
Ahlers came up with another big hit in the second inning as she hit a two run single up the middle. Stiegman would follow with a RBI single of her own Jenna Harris would drive in a run as well in the second inning.
Kyleigh Guinzy and Sophie Heck each drove in runs in the third inning for Nashville as Waterloo Gibault could not keep the Hornettes from scoring. At the end of three the Hornettes led 11-0.
The Hornettes were in cruise control by the start of the fourth inning. Nashville put up six runs in the fourth to extend their lead to 17-0.
After the game, Coach Shaun Renth talked about the win. “I thought we did what we needed to do today. We hit the ball really well. Made plays when we had to. I think we need to do a better job attacking the zone on the mound. It’s all stuff we can correct.”
The Hornettes gave up just two hits in the circle in the contest. Whitley Hunter started the game and went 3.2 innings. Hunter gave up one hit and struck out seven, but walked six batters. Hayley Kujawa pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up one hit. Kujawa walked one batter.
Stiegman led the way offensively with two hits in the contest one of which was a home run. Stiegman drove in two runs and scored two runs in the win. Heck and Harris each finished with two hits and three RBIs for Nashville. Ahlers finished the game 1-2 scored a run, and drove in three runs for the Hornettes. Olivia Cook had one hit and scored four runs. Both Brooke Bartling and Guinzy finished 1-2 with a run scored and a run driven in. Joey Lane singled, doubled, and scored two runs in the win. Taylor Rapp finished with a run driven in and a run scored. Brooke Burcham and Bailey Melton each scored a run.
The Hornettes suffered just their sixth loss of the season as they fell to Woodlawn  4-2 on May 2. Woodlawn got the early lead as they scored a run in the bottom of the first. The Hornettes would tie the game in the third, but Woodlawn would take the lead right back in the bottom half of the inning with two runs.
Woodlawn added an insurance run in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead. Nashville scored a run in the sixth but could not get anything going in the seventh as Woodlawn took the win.
Harris was back in the circle for the first time since April 19. Harris went 4.2 innings and gave up eight hits. Harris gave up two earned runs and struck out three batters. Guinzy pitched the final 1.1 innings and gave up just one hit.
Offensively the Hornettes were led by seniors Paige Kasten and Stanowski. Both Kasten and Stanowski finished 2-4 and drove in a run. McFeron and Stiegman each finished with one hit and a run scored. The lone other hit for Nashville was a double by Brooke Burcham.