Edwardsville defeats East behind its powerful offense

The graduation of four-year starting pitcher Kallen Loveless hasn’t diminished the Edwardsville Tigers’ ability to win softball games.

They just score more runs.

Tuesday, Edwardsville defeated Belleville East 14-1 in a game that earlier in the season looked to have all the makings of a Southwestern Conference showdown.

The Tigers have improved to 10-2 with the help of an offense that averages 11 runs per game. They have seven times scored in double digits and topped 20 twice just in the last week.

“It all starts with our pitch selection which, for the most part, has been really good,” said Edwardsville coach Lori Blade. “They just seem to be seeing the ball really well right now and putting good swings on it. When you get that going, good things are going to happen for you.”

Not to be underestimated was the effort of Edwardsville junior pitcher Jordan Garella, who had two years of mentoring under Loveless. Garella is quietly building a solid season in the circle having entered the game at East with a 7-0 record and 2.55 earned run average in 44 innings.

She held the Lancers without an earned run, allowing five hits while striking out three and walking none.

“I’m really grateful for all the offense we’ve had, especially early in the game. It gives you so much confidence as a pitcher,” Garella said. “I know our defense is going to make plays behind me so I just try to throw ground balls.”

Belleville East (8-6) has now lost three in a row and four of its last five.

Key Moments

Edwardsville jumped out front early with a four runs in the first off East senior starter Angie Vanderpluym. Rachel Anderson had an RBI single, Anna Burke tripled home two runs and Allison Loehr hit a sacrifice fly to drive home Burke.

Kendall Patton singled and scored on a pair of errors to put East on the scoreboard, but it was all Edwardsville from there. The Tigers added six runs in the third with RBI hits from Sarah Hangslaben and Emma Lewis, a delayed steal of home, and a wild pitch.

Anderson and Lewis also had RBI hits in a four-run sixth that clinched the short-game win for the Tigers.

“I thought Angie did a great job on their first three batters, then one hit went off her glove, the next ball blooped into right, another fell into shallow center. Next thing you know it’s off to the races they go,” said East coach Natalie Peters. “If you give them any wiggle room, they make you pay for it.”

Key Performers

Hayli Green had there hits, a walk and scored three times for Edwardsville. Anderson was 3-4 with a triple and two RBIs; Burke had two RBI and scored three runs; and Lewis had two hits and two RBI.

For East, sophomore Kristina Bettis had another strong outing in relief of starter Angela Vanderpluym. She allowed one earned run in the third then pitched scoreless innings in the fourth and fifth. Two of the Tigers sixth-inning runs were unearned.

Vanderpluym, Patton, Alex Boze and Courtney Butler had hits for East.

This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 7:33 PM with the headline "Edwardsville defeats East behind its powerful offense."