Allen Community College’s softball team rode behind the pitching of Audra Nelson and hitting of Paige Rothwell to sweep past St. Louis Community College Saturday. NELSON wasn’t quite as sharp in the second game — St. Louis erupted for two runs on four hits in the first inning alone — but Rothwell was there to pick up the slack.
Allen’s 4-1 and 7-3 wins give the Red Devils a four-game winning streak as the Region VI, Division II playoffs near.
The Red Devils (9-28 overall and 7-23 in Region VI action) are scheduled to host Ottawa’s junior varsity in a doubleheader Wednesday before hitting the road for the first round of regionals next weekend. Their playoff opponent has not been announced.
With performances like Saturday’s Allen may make some noise in the postseason.
Nelson pitched a complete game, two-hitter in the opener, allowing only an RBI ground out in the third inning that gave St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
“I was really happy with how Audra pitched,” ACC coach Jamie Amerine said. “She was efficient with her pitches, and our defense did a good job. And of course, Paige Rothwell really was the star of the day offensively.”
The Red Devil response was immediate. Rothwell smashed an RBI double to tie the score in the bottom of the third, then scored the go-ahead run on Kaitlin Rash’s one-out single.
Nelson pitched around trouble in the fourth, allowing two runners to reach with two out.
But Nelson also ended the rally by snaring Katie Harper’s line drive for the third out.
Maecy Charleston and Taylor Easum reached on St. Louis errors to open the sixth. They scored on Kaylee Lucas’ two-run single.
Nelson walked five and struck out two to claim the win.
Harper’s pitching line for St. Louis also was one to behold. She threw only 31 pitches — an astonishing 27 for strikes — in her six innings of work.
Rothwell smacked a double to lead off the bottom of the first and scored on Mary Reilly’s ground ball.
Rash blasted a leadoff home run in the bottom of the second to tie the score before Rothwell’s leadoff double in the third led to Easum’s sacrifice fly to give Allen the lead for good. Reilly walked and Rash blasted a drive to outfield that the St. Louis center fielder misplayed for an error, allowing Reilly to score. Bailey Burnett stroked an RBI single to give the Red Devils a 5-2 lead.
The Archers closed the gap to 5-3 in the top of the fourth before Charleston led off the bottom of the inning with a triple. She scored on Norris’ single.
Rothwell capped her 4-for-4 performance — she also had two hits in the opener — with a two-out home run in the bottom of the sixth. She wound up a combined 6-for-8 with two doubles, a home run, four runs and two RBIs.
Rash had a combined three hits, including a home run. Charleston had two hits, including a triple. Norris singled twice. Easum, Lauren Poertner and Lucas had singles.
Nelson gave up nine hits in her five innings of work with a strikeout. Rash came on in relief, allowing one hit in two innings.
The victories were even more special, Amerine said, because they took place on Sophomore Day. Ten Red Devils were honored during postgame ceremonies.
Red Devils sweep St. Louis
