SOFTBALL: English, Carterville shut out PCHS, 4-0

Pinckneyville held Carterville to just four hits and kept their top two hitters off the bases, but the Lady Lions got a three-run homer from Montana Taylor and an eight-strikeout performance in the circle by Avery English to beat the Lady Panthers 4-0 on Monday.

PCHS managed only three hits against English and didn't get a runner to third base until there were two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

"One thing that's a little different with Carterville, or with Nashville, as compared to a lot of the teams we play, is they have a pitchers who can throw on both sides of the plate," said PCHS head softball coach Alan Engelhardt. "We face a lot of teams that are just away, away, away."

Mariah Clark got the start for the Lady Panthers and if not for an error would have been pitching in a scoreless game in the top of the fourth when Nashville began to swing the bats. Megan Hampton doubled, Megan Barrett walked, then Taylor made it 4-0 with a three-run blast.

Brooklyn Morrow threw three no-hit inning in relief of Clark, fanning three and walking none.

"She did a great job coming in, she was excellent towards the end of the game," Engelhardt said. "It's kind of a nice combination with Mariah, they're different styles of pitchers. I thought today was probably the best Brooklyn has looked all year throwing the ball."

Emma Banach (2-3, 2 2B) and Maddie Jones (1-3, 2B) had hits fot the Lady Panthers.

Pinckneyville (15-6, 4-3) hosts Du Quoin (12-12, 3-5) on Tuesday and Johnston City on Wednesday.