EDWARDSVILLE – Even though the Belleville East Lancers lost 8-7 to Edwardsville in girls softball, head coach Natalie Peters was very happy with how her team played, on the offensive side.
“I think we are happy with how we approached the game, offensively,” Peters said. “I think defensively, we’re not really happy with how we played today, so we’ve just got to get back to practice, and go to our next games, keep working, and make sure our defense is squared up next time we face them.”
Both teams played hard all nine innings, and Peters felt that both sides deserve much credit for hanging in and competing.
“I think both teams fought back all day,” Peters said. “It was a super fun battle, I loved that nobody gave up, and the kids kept scoring runs on both sides.”
It was a typical Southwestern Conference game, where anything can, and usually, happens.
“Oh, yeah, it was definitely anything can happen,” Peters said, “and we know when we play them, it’s going to be a great game. I was super happy with how we competed as a team today, and excited to see how much better we get throughout the year.”
It has been a stellar season thus far for the Lancers, who fell to 9-4 on the year, and Peters feels her players have worked hard to get to where they are so far this season, and there are more good things ahead.
“We’re just trying to come out, and play our game every day,” Peters said, “and I think the kids have been working really hard at improving, and getting better every day, and we’re going to continue that.”
The Lancers are taking the one game at a time approach, and it’s been working for them so far this season.
“We try to take everything one game, one moment, at a time,” Peters said, “be where our feet are, and see what happens.”
Abbi Monroe led the Lancers with five hits, including her home run, and two RBIs, while Olivia Hemmerle had two hits, Zoe Peters had a hit, Madi Kramkowski came up with two hits and two RBIs, and Reese Brueggeman had two hits. Hemmerle pitched a magnificent game, going 7.1 innings, allowing seven runs on 14 hits, walking three and striking out one. Monroe was charged with the loss, going one inning, allowing one run on two hits, walking one and had no strikeouts.
The Lancers are 9-4, and next play at Breese Mater Dei Catholic Wednesday, and host Collinsville Thursday, both games starting at 4:30 p.m., then play at Murphysboro Saturday morning in a doubleheader that starts at 11 a.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
