Softball team finishes season with consolation win

By SUE RIEDER
sports@beeherald.com
 Greene County’s softball team placed third in the state for the second consecutive year by edging Center Point-Urbana 7-6 in the 3A consolation game. Seniors Emily Christensen, Bailey Godwin, Kayla Mobley, Hannah Onken, Marissa Promes, Tressa Rasmussen, and Emma Saddoris all ended their high school sports careers with a tournament win, and not many athletes can say that. The team ended their run with 32 wins and seven losses.
Center Point-Urbana jumped out to a 4-0 lead midway through the second inning, and the outlook did not look promising. Greene County’s squad stayed positive and strung together five singles and a double in the bottom of the second to even the score at 4-4. In the top of the third, the Pointers reclaimed the lead with a home run by Claire Holtz. After the home run, they threatened to make it a big inning by loading the bases via a single, a Ram error, and a fielder’s choice, but Greene County’s defense got the final two outs that they needed without letting CPU score more.
The Rams went up 6-5 in the bottom of the third when Onken, Saddoris, and Promes all hit their second single of the day, and Sydney Koch drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to center field. Neither team scored in the fourth inning, but the Pointers weren’t done yet. They tied the game at 6-6 in the top of the fifth when first baseman Megan Crogham scored on a wild pitch that went back to the backstop. The Rams threw a runner out at home plate on a relay from Mobley to Paup to catcher Godwin to keep the game tied.  
Greene County scored the winning run in the bottom of the fifth inning when Saddoris singled and later scored when Koch’s hit took a bad hop and struck the Pointer’s short stop in her chest. CPU stranded two runners on base in the top of the sixth and could not regain the lead. Greene County did not add to their 7-6 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning, and Center Point-Urbana did not get another chance to bat as the 90 minute time limit given for consolation games had expired, so a new inning was not started.
Marissa Promes got the win, giving up five earned runs while striking out three and walking none. She improved her pitching record to 30-4 and was the only Greene County player named to the 3A All-Tournament Team.
Offensively, the team was led by Saddoris and Onken who both had three singles. Promes smacked two singles, Christensen and Godwin each belted a double, and Koch and Paup both hit one single.
“I am happy that we battled back after getting down by four runs,” said Coach Tom Kennedy. “It wasn’t one of our better games, but I am glad we could end the season with a win. This is a great way for our seniors to end their careers. “