Chargers drop pair of 1-run contests to Kougars

GALESBURG — The Sandburg softball team had a pair of late leads but suffered one-run losses to Kishwaukee in both ends of an Arrowhead Conference doubleheader Tuesday afternoon. 

GAME 1
Kishwaukee 5, Sandburg 4
Kishwaukee  000     005     0          —        5
Sandburg      000     202     0          —        4
L: Jordyn Climer 7 IP, 3 K, 1 BB

Chargers highlights
• Scoreless in the fourth inning, Emma Racke led off with a double and Madalynn Knapp followed with a home run to left field for a 2-0 Chargers lead.
• After a five-run top of the sixth for Kishwaukee, Sandburg put together a two-run rally with two away. Lakinn Larson walked and Jaylynn Hamilton singled before Jordyn Climer brought both of them in with a base hit to left, pulling the Chargers within 5-4. Knapp doubled with two gone in the seventh, but Reese Poole's groundout ended the contest.

Sandburg standout
Climer went the distance in the circle while also helping herself with two RBIs at the plate and a stolen base. The sophomore allowed three earned runs on seven hits and a walk while fanning three batters

Other top Chargers
• Knapp: 2 for 4, double, home run, two RBIs
• Hamilton: 2 for 4, run, stolen base
• Larson: 1 for 2, walk, run

GAME 2
Kishwaukee 10, Sandburg 9
Kishwaukee  134     020     0          —        10
Sandburg      413     100     0          —        9
L: Climer 3 IP, 1 K, 0 BB

Chargers highlights
• Sandburg put up four runs in the bottom of the first, getting an RBI double from Climer, a run-scoring single by Jalie Eller, a Hannah Pyle RBI double and an RBI fielder's choice off the bat of Reese Poole.
• Trailing 8-5 in the third, Payton Ruggles knocked in two runs with a one-out double to center, and Ruggles scored the tying run two batters later on a Hamilton groundout.
• Still even at 8 in the fourth, Eller led off with a single, advanced to third on a Pyle double and gave the Chargers the lead as the Kougars third baseman committed an error. A two-out, two-run single in the fifth by Kishwaukee proved to be the difference in the ballgame.

Sandburg standout
Ruggles was one of six Chargers with two hits in the contest. The left fielder went 2 for 4 with a double, a run scored and two driven in.

Other top Chargers
• Hamilton: 2 for 4, two runs, RBI
• Climer: 2 for 4, double, triple, run, two RBIs
• Eller: 2 for 4, two runs, RBI
• Pyle: 2 for 4, two doubles, run, RBI
• Knapp: 2 for 4, run 

SCHEDULE UPDATE
The Chargers' doubleheader scheduled for April 16 at Illinois Valley that was postponed has been rescheduled for 3 p.m. Thursday. That is also the team's next scheduled contest.

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