GLEN CARBON - Jada Zumealt's one-out bases-loaded infield single to short-scored Ani Hasenstab with the winning run in the bottom of the seventh to climax a four-run rally and send Father McGivney Catholic away to a wild 18-17 win over Marquette Catholic in a Gateway Metro Conference softball game played Wednesday at Griffins Park.
The game was one where runs were scored in every inning but the top of the third as the Griffins won the see-saw game, and are now 5-11, while the Explorers are now 3-12.
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Marquette jumped on top with three runs in the first and two in the second, while McGivney did the exact opposite, with two in the first and three in the second to create a 5-5 tie. The Griffins scored in the bottom of the third to take a 6-5 lead. Both teams scored four times in the fourth to allow McGivney to retain the lead at 10-9. In the fifth and sixth, the Explorers came up with a run in the fifth and three in the sixth, while the Griffins did the opposite, scoring once in the fifth and three in the sixth, to go ahead 14-13. In the seventh, the Explorers scored four times to go on top 17-14, but the Griffins also scored four in their half of the seventh, getting to game-winning hit with to climax their four-run rally and win 18-18.
Zumwalt's game-winner was the last of a four-hit, five RBI day for her, while Maddy Callovini had four hits and three RBIs, Julia Behrmann had three hits an a RBI, Morgan Zobrist had three hits, Nora Mensing had two hits, Alexa Jones and Hasenstab had a hit and two RBIs each, Audrey Owen came up with a hit and RBI, and Molly Strack also had a RBI. Zumwalt went the distance inside the circle, allowing 17 runs, 13 earned, on 12 hits, walking 11 and striking out four.
Kennedy Eveans led the Explorers with three hits and two RBIs, with Jayla Dickson had two hits and a pair of RBIs, Alyssa Coles and Meredith Zigrang both had two hits and a RBI, Allie Weiner hit a grand slam homer for her only hit and four RBIs, Bella Johnson had a hit and two RBIs, and Ashlynn Bennett had a hit. Eveans went all the way inside the circle, giving up 18 runs, 11 earned, on 19 hits, walking four and fanning five.
The Griffins are now 5-11, while the Explorers go to 3-12, and play each other again on Thursday at Gordon Moore Park in Alton, with a start time of 4:30 p.m. McGivney then plays at Waterloo Gibault Catholic on Friday, hosts Valmeyer on Monday, then hosts Hillsboro next Wednesday, with all games set to begin at 4:30 p.m.
Marquette goes up against Cahokia at home on Monday, plays at Centralia Christ Our Rock Lutheran on Tuesday, and are home to Granite City May 2, all games starting at 4:30 p.m.
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