Prep Softball: Stafford garners career win No. 500 at Harrisburg
It was a monumental for Harrisburg softball and more importantly its head coach as Red Stafford grabbed his 500th win with a thrilling 4-3 win over Hamilton County.
The Foxes scored three runs in the top of the first inning and Harrisburg responded with three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame.
The score remained knotted until the bottom of the seventh inning and with the top of the order due up, the Bulldogs went to work.
Sidney Neal led off the inning with a triple down the right field line and after McKenzie Boyd struck out on a ball in the dirt. The pitch got pass the Hamilton County catcher, allowing Neal to score from third.
At the plate, Kerrigan Payne was 2-for-3, while Neal was 2-for-4. Abby Stacey was 1-for-3 with an RBI and Kinzleigh Smothers was 0-for-2 with an RBI.
Payne improved to 2-0 in the circle, going the distance and allowing three runs on nine hits. The senior struck out three and walked one.
"This is nice," Stafford said. "I've been lucky and have coached some very good players over the years. When I started as an assistant, back in the 1994, 1995 and 1996, Al Way was the head softball coach and having the opportunity to be by his side was the best thing to happen to me in my coaching career.
"Later on, I became good friends with Bruce Jilek (longtime Herrin coach) and Ross Hill (longtime Vienna coach). When we would play those guys, I was always watching what they were doing. Bruce and I became good friends and I would always pick his brain. That also meant a lot to me in my career. I've also been blessed with great assistants, like my late friend Randy Jones. Everything I know about pitching, I learned from him. KT Nelson has been along for the ride for a very long time and recently adding coaches like Jake Stewart, Allison Dowdy and Greg Davis has been beneficial as well."
Wednesday's win against Hamilton County, a team that returned everyone from a squad that short gamed Harrisburg 13-3 a year ago, wasn't lost on Stafford, however.
"I'm really proud of the kids," Stafford said. "After Hamilton County scored three in the first and our kids were coming off the field, I told them they need to learn to compete against what are the better teams in southern Illinois. I think we did that (Wednesday).
"Kerrigan scattered nine hits and we played good defense. I'm just really proud of them right now. Our girls played hard and it was a really nice win for us."
<b>Harrisburg 17, Hardin Co. 0</b>
Kerrigan Payne pulled double-duty in the season opener against Hardin County Monday as the senior got the win in the circle and hit a grand slam, leading the Bulldogs to a 17-0 win over the Cougars.
Payne went 4-for-4 at the plate and finished her day with six RBI. Payne also pitched five innings, allowing just one hit, while striking out six and walking one.
It was win No. 499 for Harrisburg head coach Red Stafford, who also starts three freshmen and a sophomore on the infield, as Abby Stacey went 3-for-3 with an RBI.
Kalee King and Liza Wiggins were both 2-for-3 and King drove in three runs, including a two-run home run in the second inning.
Sidney Neal and Kinzleigh Smothers were both 2-for-4, while Smothers had an RBI. Layla Borders was 1-for-3 and McKenzie Boyd went 1-for-2 with an RBI.