O’Fallon’s Barnouski still out as she rests back injury

O’Fallon senior pitcher Addie Barnouski missed her second straight start since injuring back in a win over Alton last Thursday.

The Southeast Missouri State University recruit is one of the metro-east’s top hitters with a .526 average and pitchers with 13 wins and a 0.86 ERA. She injured her back diving back into second base at home against the Redbirds.

“I rounded second and the catcher had the ball kind of near the pitcher’s circle,” she said. “I dove back to second and felt kind of a kink in my back. When I got back into the dugout I couldn’t really bend backward or forwards.”

She finished the game, closing out a 2-1 win over the Southwestern Conference contender. She held the Redbirds to just two hits while striking out 12. But the injury tightened and became more painful as the night wore on.

The pain continues.

Barnouski missed a 7-6 loss to Triad Friday and was present for the Panthers conference game against Belleville East Tuesday wearing blue jeans and a hard back brace.

She will be reevaluated following another week of rest, she said.

O’Fallon, which has a 15-7 overall record and is 6-3 in conference play, defeated Belleville East with sophomore Katie Moore in the Barnouski’s place in the pitcher’s circle. She held the Lancers to one unearned run on five hits and no walks.

“I’ve always believed in Katie. She’s a great back up to have because she’s a great pitcher,” Barnouski said.

That’s the attitude O’Fallon coach Kelly Paproth is taking as well.

“We keep preaching that it’s not just one person in the lineup or one home-run hitter,” Paproth said. “Everybody has a job to do and Addie will be an important part whether she’s on the field or off it.”

This story was originally published May 3, 2016 at 9:36 PM with the headline "O’Fallon’s Barnouski still out as she rests back injury."