Mt. Zion softball splits on the week

Mt. Zion Braves fell behind early and couldn’t come back in a 5-9 loss to Mahomet-Seymour on Saturday. The Bulldogs scored on a double on a 1-2 count and a single in the first inning, two singles and a sacrifice fly in the second inning scoring four runs.

The Braves scored three runs in the third inning with Gwen Bender, Kennedy Highley, and Kayla Schnippel each having RBIs in the frame.

Schnippel took the loss for Mt. Zion as the righthander went six innings, allowing nine runs on 11 hits and striking out four.

Mt. Zion racked up seven hits in the contest as Highley, Bender, and Schnippel each collected two hits for the Braves.

On Tuesday the Braves traveled to Taylorville for a double header.

In game two both Mt. Zion and Taylorville had their offenses going, but the Braves eventually prevailed 13-10.

The Tornadoes opened up an early lead in the first inning on a ground out, scoring one run.

Mt. Zion knotted the game up at three in the top of the second inning when Gwen Bender doubled scoring one run.

After the Braves scored two runs in the top of the fifth, Taylorville answered with two of their own. The Tornadoes answered again with a single on a 0-2 count, scoring one run and another single on a 2-0 count, scoring one run.

The Braves took the lead for good with one run in the third inning off a wild pitch allowing one run across the plate.

Scoring four runs in the fourth inning, as Dakota Harrison, Lauren Waller, and Joelie Shafer all drove in runs in the frame.

Taylorville scored five runs in the seventh inning.

Kennedy Highley got the win for Mt. Zion. The righthander surrendered five runs on seven hits over five and two-thirds innings, striking out three. Harrison threw one and one-third innings in relief out of the bullpen.

Mt. Zion tallied 18 hits in the game. Kenzie Shumate, Bender, Harrison, Shafer, Sierra Hiser, and Waller each managed multiple hits with Shafer, Harrison, Bender, and Shumate leading the team with three hits apiece. They also tore up the base paths, as two players stole at least two bases. Bender led the way with two.

Taylorville tallied eight hits.

Four rbi’s from Gwen Bender sealed the deal in game one against Taylorville. Bender was clutch at the plate with ducks on the pond, driving in four on three hits to lead Mt. Zion past Taylorville 11-1. Bender drove in runs on a triple in the second, a double in the fifth, and a single in the sixth.

The Braves opened up scoring in the first inning, when Kayla Schnippel singled on a 0-1 count, scoring one run.

They scored four more runs in the sixth inning with big bats in the inning led by a triple by Kenzie Shumate, a single by Bender, and a groundout by Lauren Kyberz.

Schnippel earned the victory in the pitcher’s circle for Mt. Zion surrendering one run on two hits over six innings, striking out eight.

Racking up 16 hits in the game, Schnippel, Bender, Peyton Courson, Shumate, and Dakota Harrison each managed multiple hits as Schnippel went 4-for-4 at the plate to lead the team in hits. They were sure-handed and didn’t commit a single error and Joelie Shafer made the most plays with eight.

Hosting the Tuscola Warriors on Monday, the Brave’s effort to come back from down six runs in the fourth inning came up just short, as they fell 8-9.

They scored seven runs in the failed comeback on a single by Kennedy Highley in the fifth, a single by Dakota Harrison in the fifth, a sacrifice fly by Kayla Schnippel in the fifth, a single by Harrison in the seventh, and a single by Schnippel in the seventh.

Mt. Zion collected eight hits and Tuscola had 15 in the high-scoring affair.

Schnippel took the loss allowing 15 hits and nine runs over seven innings, striking out two.

Audri Johnson smacked one home run on the day in the second inning. Harrison and Johnson each had two hits on the day.