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SOFTBALL: English lesson - Carterville hurler shuts out Pinckneyville at Sectional

Pinckneyville hadn't been shut out all season long, but Carterville's Avery English held them to just two hits and fanned eleven, leading the Lady Lions to a 2-0 win over the Lady Panthers in Tuesday's Class 2A Johnston City Softball Sectional to earn a spot in Saturday's championship against either Nashville or Harrisburg.

It was English's bat that helped Carterville get past Massac County in last Saturday's Regional final, where the right-hander belted two home runs during the Lady Lions' eleven-run fifth inning, but it was her arm on Tuesday that carried the load.

"Eleven strikeouts, that's pretty good, we'll take that," said Carterville head coach Brett Diel. "She seemed locked in and it seemed like she got some big strikeouts when she needed them. The defense behind her was pretty strong as well, we got a huge play with two outs there in the sixth inning from our second baseman (Megan Hampton), diving into the 3-4 hole and making a big play."

"I'm very proud of them. As long as you can find ways to win in the postseason, whether it be scoring a lot of runs or making a shutout hold up, that's how you survive and advance this time of year."

It was a disappointing way to end the season for Pinckneyville's (usually) power-packed offense. Lady Panthers hitters seemed to struggle with pitches on the inner half of the plate, taking far more called strikes than head coach Alan Engelhardt would have liked.

"For whatever reason, we were really non-assertive today," Engelhardt said. "(The home plate umpire) was big on the inside corner, but you've got to adjust to that. If he's calling that, you have got to foul it off and spoil it until you get something you can handle. We weren't looking to attack, and I'm not really sure why, but that's sometimes what happens when you're dealing with kids."

Taylor Howard started the game in the circle for Pinckneyville, but ended up going only one inning - much like she did in the Lady Panthers' Regional title win over West Frankfort. While Howard allowed just one hit, she surrendered a first-inning run after a base hit by Megan Barrett, a walk to Kylee Rock, and back-to-back sacrifice flies by English and Carly Callahan (RBI).

"That's how you want to score a run," Diel said. "Your leadoff hitter gets on, your second hitter gets on, then two sacrifice flies. We had a sac to get a runner to third, then a sac to score the run. That's solid, if we don't execute one of those sac flies, it's a different game possibly."

Down 1-0, Pinckneyville had their best opportunity to score in the bottom of the first after Maddie Jones drew a walk and Howard reached on a catcher interference call, but both were stranded when English struck out her third batter of the inning moments later.

PCHS got another chance with a runner in scoring position in the second, but the potential rally was stomped out with English's fourth K of the day. The Lady Panthers failed to get a runner past first base the rest of the way.

With Brooklyn Morrow on for Howard in the circle, Pinckneyville's defense kept them in the game, throwing out two runners at home plate and turning a double play.

"I thought we did a good job throwing the ball," said Engelhardt. "We threw two kids out at home plate, Taylor Howard makes a nice play and a relay from (Jordyn) Wieland to Jones. When you throw two kids out at the plate, and you really throw the ball well all day, you make plays, you feel like you gave yourself a chance. Offensively, it was a struggle for us."

English didn't need it, but she and the Lady Lions got an insurance run in the top of the sixth when Rock belted a solo homer to left field to make it 2-0.

"Kylee's got the ability to change the game every time she comes to the plate," Diel said. "She gave us a big insurance run there in the sixth and I think gave us a little bit of confidence to go ahead and finish it on out, and play a little looser."

English retired eight in a row to close out the win for Carterville, finishing with two hits and two walks allowed. Barrett (2-3, R, 3B), Rock (1-2, R, RBI, HR, BB), Nora Jacobs 91-3) and Meagan Moon (2-3, 2B) had hits for the Lady Lions.

Morrow threw six innings of relief for PCHS, giving up an earned run on five hits and a hit batter while striking out three. Pinckneyville's two hits came from Morrow (1-3) and Mayci Doerflein (1-1, SAC). The Lady Panthers struck out looking seven times.

Carterville (27-6) gets the winner of Wednesday's other semifinal on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. in Johnston City. Pinckneyville finishes their first season under coach Engelhardt with a record of 23-12.