EDWARDSVILLE – Riley Nelson hit a three-run home over the fence in left field in the bottom of the first, which started an eight-run inning, and helped Edwardsville go on to a 13-2 win over Collinsville in a Southwestern Conference softball game played Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the Edwardsville District 7 Sports Complex.
The win enabled the Tigers to improve their record to 16-4, among the best in the area, and was a very good follow-up to Edwardsville’s big 4-3 win over Calhoun the day before. The Tigers were able to get many of their players into the game, and all played well.
“We were able to get a lot of kids in and see some at-bats, which is what you want,” Edwardsville head coach Caty Happe said.
The big first inning set the tone for the game, particularly after the Kahoks had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the inning.
“We scored a lot early on,” Happe said, “then kind of just add on it, so good to see the girls come back, and score some runs.”
Despite the scoreline, the Kahoks hung in and didn’t quit, a very good sign for Collinsville down the road.
“They did, for sure,” Happe said. “they fought back, they had hits scattered throughout, so they did a good job.”
Nelson started out as a designated player, while both Kylie Lintker and Marley Fox pitched, and both hurlers had a good game each.
“It was good to be able to get them all in, and get them some playing time to see them in varsity action, and hopefully, just get better and move forward,” Coach Happe said.
Happe is also looking ahead to more good stuff, with a game at Breese Mater Dei Catholic on Saturday on the agenda, along with more challenges in the conference.
“We are about halfway through the season,” Happe said. “So, got a lot of things to work on, and hopefully, coming out for the second half of the season.”
Preslie Thomas and Faith Fairchild opened the game for the Kahoks with back-to-back singles, with Demick drawing a walk to load the bases. Demick would be called out for leaving the base too soon, but Lilly Paarlberg walked to reload the bases. Audrey Shemwell then drew a bases-loaded walk to force In Thomas and give Collinsville a 1-0 lead. The next two batters were both called out on strikes to end the inning.
Edwardsville went to work, starting with hits by Brooke Burris and Sophie Antonini, then Nelson hit her three-run homer over the fence in left field to put the Tigers up 3-1. Audrey De La Torre Cruz and Carlie Jones both singled and stole bases, coming home on a two-run triple by Amelia Wilfong, making the score 5-1. Maksine Straub singled home Wilfong, who then scored on a Marissa Wiley double, and later Maddie Aldrirch scored on another RBI single by Antonini to make the score 8-1.
Demick hit a one out solo homer to left-center to cut the lead to 8-2 in the third, but the Tigers answered back in the fourth with two runs, on a RBI single by Lily Stone in the fourth, and in the fifth, Stone scored on an error by the shortstop, allowing Madi Kolakowski to reach, and a two-run double by Fox ended the game at 13-2 for Edwardsville, due to the 10-run rule.
Antonini had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers, while Nelson’s homer was her only hit and RBIs of the game, Wilfong and Straub both had a hit and RBI, Maggie Bray came up with a hit, Fox had a hit and two RBIs, Stone had two hits and a RBI, and Grace Oertle had a hit. Lintker pitched the first two innings, striking out three, while Fox threw in the final three, fanning two.
Demick’s homer was her only hit and RBI of the game, while Thomas, Brittany Sargenson, and Fairchild had the other hits, and Shemwell had the only other RBI. Paarlberg had the only strikeout inside the circle.
Edwardsville next plays at Mater Dei Saturday morning at 10 a.m., then has their return game at Collinsville Tuesday, and hosts Columbia Wednesday, both games starting at 4:30 p.m.
Dan Brannan also contributed to this story.
