Community R-6 had to keep the mistakes to a minimum Thursday.

The Lady Trojans hosted reigning district champion and Class 1 No. 9 Silex and lost 13-3 after committing a season-high nine errors and allowing six unearned runs. Paige Painter finished 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double, and Jocelyn Curtis went 2-for-4 and allowed three earned runs in six innings.

Curtis allowed all six of the Lady Trojans’ unearned runs along with 10 hits and two walks. 

Silex already had a 2-0 lead in the first inning not long after the first error and then took a 5-0 lead after one half inning after two more errors. The Lady Owls had a 6-1 lead going into the sixth inning, only allowing an RBI double from Painter in the first inning, and then made it 9-1 after six on an infield error that could’ve ended the inning.

Four Silex hitters finished with two RBI but no Lady Owl had an extra-base hit.

Community falls short 8-7, snaps 3 game winning streak over Pilot Grove

Pilot Grove hadn’t fought this hard before against Community.

The Lady Trojans went into Tuesday having outscored Central Activities Conference foe Pilot Grove 40-4 in their previous three victories against the Lady Tigers. They lost 8-7 on the road after stranding the winning runs in the seventh inning.

Jocelyn Curtis went 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double and allowed two unearned runs in two innings in relief. Lydia Forbis finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and one of three doubles hit by the Lady Trojans.

Curtis smacked a double in the first inning to make it 2-0 Community after Sarah Angel stole home on a previous play. The lead was immediately given up in the bottom half of the inning as Pilot Grove had three hits and scored four runs off Paige Painter.

After some smooth sailing, Curtis was brought in after Painter allowed the first two to reach in the fifth inning. The Lady Tigers scored two on a single and then made it 8-3 on a ground ball that was hit into an infield error.

Rylee Rafferrty came through with an RBI single in the sixth inning and was able to reach base again in the seventh inning on Pilot Grove’s fourth error. Forbis and Curtis already drove in runs to make it 8-7 so the Lady Trojans needed one more hit from Ivy Hays with two runners in scoring position. Her fly ball was caught to end the game.

Community (2-3, 1-1 CAC) plays today in the Terry Early New Franklin Softball Tournament.

Fall baseball

Allen walks off, Carroll strikes out 12 in CR-6’s 2-1 extra-inning vs Sturgeon

Community R-6’s second extra-inning game of the fall baseball season went a lot better than the first game.

Following a season-opening 7-6 eight-inning loss at Atlanta, the Trojans needed 10 innings Tuesday at home against Sturgeon but won 2-1 on Gavin Allen’s walk-off home run. Allen finished the game 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and five strikeouts in three innings of relief, and Mason Carroll struck out 12 in seven innings while allowing one unearned run on seven hits.

Head coach Joel Krato said playing 10 innings is obviously strenuous, but Community had the means to come out victorious this time. 

“The bench was electric all night providing the energy and positivity that makes a difference for any team,” Krato said. “ Carroll came out and was firing on all cylinders, throwing 89 percent first pitch strikes. Carroll has still yet to have an earned run score off of him through 12 2/3 innings this fall. Gavin was able to come in and do exactly what we expected him to do: shut the door and hold off Sturgeon's offense until we could get the winning run across the plate.”

After two Allen stolen bases, Eli Johnson was responsible for the first run of the game as he hit a sacrifice fly in the first inning to give Community a 1-0 lead. Sturgeon tied the game in the fourth inning on a bunt play that couldn’t be handled by Carroll.

Each team had a runner in scoring position in the seventh inning but neither squad could prevent extra innings. In the 10th inning, Allen teed off on a pitch over the left field fence for the victory.

Ayden Meranda went 2-for-3 with a walk, and senior Tucker Cox had his first varsity hit, showing the “growth of his confidence and abilities” after working in the weight room, Krato said. 

Community (1-1) travels to reigning Class 1 third-place Cairo on Friday before going to La Plata on Sept. 23