An uncharacteristic defensive display and an inability to take advantage of key scoring opportunities doomed Pontiac as the Indians suffered a 9-3 loss to Tolono (Unity) in an Illini Prairie Conference softball game Tuesday at The Diamond at Williamson Field.
The game was a makeup after being postponed April 7.
Pontiac committed six errors in the contest as it allowed Unity six unearned runs. The Rockets took advantage of two errors in the fourth inning when they scored three times. The last two runs were unearned as they scored because of the second error.
Tolono scored three more runs in the fifth inning. The first came home on a base hit but an error on the play placed two runners in scoring position. Both eventually scored on passed balls.
Both runs for the visitors in the sixth inning were unearned
Tolono took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first but the Indians responded with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie it up. Maddie Gourley led off by drawing a walk and Elena Krause singled. Gourley scored on a wild pitch before Bailey Masching bunted into a double play. Her attempt was popped up and Krause was picked off third after the catch.
The Indians still posed a threat as Rylee Zimmerman drew a walk and Mackenzie Coates singled to put runners on the corners, but Sam Johns struck out swinging.
PTHS looked to take the lead in the second inning but missed on its opportunity. Cadence Helms doubled with one out and took third on a wild pitch. She was thrown out at the plate on Brooke Fox’s grounder to short.
Gourley and Krause followed with base hits to load the bases but Masching grounded out to end the inning.
The Indians did take a 2-1 lead with a run in the third inning. Zimmerman led off with a base hit and Tessa Collins came on as the courtesy runner for the PTHS backstop. Collins took second on a Coates sacrifice and Johns singled to put runners on the corners. Makayla Metz reached on a bunt when Tolono hurler Taylor Henry threw to third to try to pick off Collins. All were safe to load the bases with one out.
Collins scored on a wild pitch with Helms at the plate, who was then intentionally walked to reload the bases. Unity got out of the inning with a strikeout and a ground ball.
Pontiac’s final run came in the last of the seventh with two outs. Metz singled to center to score Johns, who doubled after the first two Indians made outs.
Johns had three hits, including a double as the Indians (16-6-1) collected 11 base knocks. Krause had two hits while Masching and Helms each doubled. Metz had a hit and run batted in and Gourley, Zimmerman and Coates each singled.
Krause took the loss in the circle after allowing nine runs (three earned), six hits and an uncharacteristic six walks. She struck out 10 in 5 2/3 innings. Metz threw the final 1 1/3 innings, striking out in the process.
Unity (18-5) managed just hits with Henry collecting three, including a double. She also drove in two runs. In the circle, Henry scattered 11 hits, walked three and fanned five in going the distance.
Lincoln 12, Prairie Central 2
LINCOLN — Prairie Central fell behind early and was unable to rally back as the Hawks dropped a 12-2 nonconference softball decision to host Lincoln Tuesday.
The Railers tagged PC starter Dixie Hogan for four runs in the first inning and four in the second to take command. Katy Curl took over in the circle to start the third for PC and was hit for three runs as Lincoln built an 11-0 lead.
The Hawks missed a scoring opportunity in the top of the third inning when Rylie Galloway and Kyrsten Atkins each walked and Kenna Skaggs singled to load the bases with no outs. The next three PC batters struck out to end the threat.
Prairie Central did get on the board in the fifth inning with two runs. This time, Galloway and Atkins were each hit by pitches to lead off the frame. With one out, Kyra Stephens bunted for a hit and the runs scored when throw to first was off the mark.
Lincoln ended the game in the bottom of the fifth.
Stephens and Skaggs each singled for the two Prairie Central (4-16) base hits.
Hogan took the loss in the circle after allowing eight runs (three earned), four hits and two walks. Curl yielded three runs, a hit and three walks. Alexandria Hari hit a batter and allowed an unearned run.
