It wasn’t 11-2 like a state prep writer had predicted.
Not even close.
Charleston High battled to a scoreless tie through much of the game.
But when the scoreboard read 1-0 in Antioch’s favor in the top of the sixth inning, the sea of red knew that the state championship was within reach. With runners at first and second, Karah Moore rattled off five straight foul balls to force a 10-pitch at-bat before Michigan State recruit Jacey Schuler struck out Moore.
Two runs in the bottom half of the frame helped pad the Antioch lead and clinch a 3-0 victory over Charleston at Louisville Slugger Stadium to send the Trojans to the third-place game on Saturday.
“We went toe to toe with one of the best pitchers we have seen,” said coach Blain Mayhall. “In a pitcher’s duel, you are going to be on the losing end if you don’t put up runs. Their pitcher did a great job. We have nothing to hang our heads on.”
Future Big 10 Softball Player is the Real Deal
Schuler kept the Trojan offense in check with five strikeouts in her first 10 batters. The Trojans were hitless through five complete innings, but starting pitcher Addison Shrader kept the team within striking distance.
Maci Mayhall led off the sixth inning with a leadoff single for the team’s first hit of the game. After getting Brie Tomlinson to foul out at home on the first pitch, Shrader struck out for the second out.
The rally continued with a bunt single from Avery Beals that brought up the slugger Moore to the plate. With a 1-2 count, Moore kept her at-bat alive with five consecutive foul balls before Schuler was able to punch out Moore to preserve the 1-0 lead.
“I hoped I could just make contact,” said Moore. “I’m due for a hit. I thought if I could make solid contact, something would have worked out. At Mount Zion, the ground ball I hit, all I wanted was to make contact. I was wanting to get us on the scoreboard.”
It felt like one run was going to be the true difference of the game the way the two sides were throwing. Schuler, the No. 39 ranked pitcher in the country, finished with a complete game, two allowed hits and nine strikeouts.
Addison Shrader Showed She’s a Solid Pitcher, Too
The score broke open in the bottom of the fourth inning when Schuler led the fourth with a single. Courtesy runner Miranda Gomez quickly took off for second for a stolen base. Shrader initially saved a run when Emily Brucht’s hit lasered up the middle but was knocked down by her glove. However, the suicide squeeze from freshman Samantha Hillner was perfectly executed to score the first run.
“Honestly, after that 11-2 prediction, the fact we held them to three runs is pretty amazing,” said Shrader. “I’m very proud of how I pitched and how the defense behind me backed me up.”
Shrader had herself a strong ball game with six innings pitched, seven hits allowed, three runs, two earned, and four strikeouts. The following inning, Shrader showed her emotions when second baseman Maci Mayhall made a play to get the final out to keep the 1-0 in check.
It wasn’t until the sixth inning that the Antioch offense reached Shrader. Schuler hit a one-out double over the head of center fielder Kailyn Wilson. Brecht followed that with a bomb to right field that just stayed in the park but bounced over the wall for a ground-rule double. After a brief mound visit, Hillner hit a line drive up the middle for an RBI single to make the score 3-0.
“I missed a few pitches, which hurt us,” said Shrader. “I needed to get the ball off of the plate more, but, other than that, I laid everything on the field. I couldn’t throw another pitch. I’m exhausted. You go six innings, they start to see you again and start to figure you out. They caught on to some of the spins and made some big hits.”
Phenomenal Defensive Plays
The defense from both sides was phenomenal. A potential double was flagged down by Eschevarria off the bat of Wilson. A leadoff single from Clara Cox was taken away thanks to another diving stop from Eschevarria. While Schuler was a standout on the mound, the defense came to play as well.
Shooting for “Not Last”
With the loss, Charleston will play Saturday at 9 a.m. against Benet Academy, a 10-0 loser to Lemont in the earlier contest. While Charleston will return home with a state trophy for the first time in program history, Mayhall would love to see the higher place.
“Each team that comes here comes with a trophy between one and four,” said Mayhall. “We might as well go for the next best.”
There was no prediction for the third-place game. Even if there was, Mayhall hopes that this game helped put some respect on the team’s name.
“I hope it shows that we know how to play softball,” said Mayhall. “These kids don’t quit. They have that mentality of never giving up. That’s what makes a coach happy. You give it your all and leave it all on the field.”
Coles County Sports 