Lady Vandals run-rule Lincolnwood in home opener for first win

VANDALIA – Before the season starterd, Vandalia softball coach Brian Buscher admitted that there would probably be some rough stretches.

A 0-4 start fits that definition.

But the Lady Vandals may be beginning to get things figured out, as they played a well-balanced game and showed off their offensive potential on Monday in a 14-4 win against Lincolnwood in the home-opener.

“We hit the ball well,” Buscher said. “We made a couple of mistakes here or there, but we hit and played good defense.

“There were bits and pieces over the weekend (at the Noble Round Robin) where you could see things coming together,” he said. “But we only have one win, so we have to stay focused and play good, consistent ball, offensively and defensively.”

Seniors Megan Godoyo and Taylor Well – the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters – went a combined 4-for-8, with three doubles, four runs and five RBI in the game, helping the Lady Vandals (1-4) build up a 9-1 lead after two innings.

Freshman Molly Kern also had an RBI double in the second, and junior Madison Click and freshman Lindsay Dagen reached base six times, with four runs, in the bottom two lineup spots.

Every player in the lineup scored, and Buscher said he could see at Noble how the lineup was beginning to get confidence in hitting the ball.

“Down at Noble, everybody started hitting a little bit,” he said. “It wasn’t in the first game and it wasn’t at the same time, but by the third game, everybody was hitting the ball hard.”

Vandalia took a 4-0 loss to Edwards County and a 13-4 loss to Altamont in pool play, and were defeated 11-6 by Hutsonville in the fifth-place game.

Against Hutsonville, senior Kylie Sellers and Godoyo were 3-for-3, with Sellers scoring three runs and Godoyo driving home three runs.

Against Altamont, Godoyo drove home two of Vandalia’s four runs, while Bright and Dagen each had a hit and a run.

In the second inning, Altamont got a pair of walks to open the inning, but the Lady Vandals then turned a triple play.

Dagen fielded a ball at shortstop to begin a 6-4-3 double play, but the runner on second base tried to score.
Junior Kelsey Swain fired home from first base to complete the triple play.

Vandalia got multi-hit games from Sellers and Morrison against Edwards County, but stranded nine runners on base, including seven in scoring position.

Godoyo took the loss, but struck out 11 and didn’t allow any runs until the fourth inning.

Monday, March 24
Vandalia 14
Lincolnwood 4
L: 1-0-1-0-2-0—4-4-6
V: 2-7-3-0-0-2—14-10-2
WP: Godoyo (1-3); 6 IP, 8 K
LP: Gorman (0-1); 5 1/3 IP, 2 K
Lady Vandals: Well, 2-for-4, 2 2B, 3 RBI, run, SB; Godoyo, 2-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 3 runs; Kern, 1-for-3, 2B, RBI; Bright, 1-for-3, RBI, run; Morrison, 1-for-3, RBI, run; Click, 1-for-3, 2 runs; K. Swain, 1-for-4, run; Protz, 1-for-1, run; Sellers, 2-runs; Dagen, 2 runs.
Record: 1-4

Saturday, March 22
at Noble Round Robin
Fifth-place game
Hutsonville 11
Vandalia 6
V: 1-0-3-0-2—6-11-9
H: 2-2-5-1-1—11-7-3
WP: Watson
LP: Godoyo (0-3); 7 IP, 5 K
Lady Vandals: Godoyo, 3-for-3, 3 RBI, 2 runs; Sellers, 3-for-3, 3 runs; Bright, 2-for-3, run; Well, 2-for-3, 2 RBI; Dagen, 1-for-2.

Altamont 13
Vandalia 4
V: 2-0-2-0-0—4-3-2
A: 0-0-7-5-1—13-6-1
WP: Biggs
LP: Kern (0-1); 2 IP, 2 K
Lady Vandals: Godoyo, 1-for-2, 2 RBI, run; Bright, 1-for-3, run; Dagen, 1-for-2, run; Sellers, run.

Edwards County 4
Vandalia 0
V: 0-0-0-0-0—0-8-1
E: 0-0-0-2-2—4-4-0
WP: Dallas
LP: Godoyo (0-2); 5 IP, 11 K
Lady Vandals: Morrison, 2-for-3; Sellers, 2-for-2; Bright, 1-for-3; Kern, 1-for-3, K. Swain, 1-for-2; Click, 1-for-2.