Helias softball's long week is nearly over.
Wednesday's 13-2 win in five innings against Rolla was the Lady Crusaders' seventh game in six days, and their 10th straight win. Helias is now 14-3.
It started in the circle against the Lady Bulldogs at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex. Tabitha Imhoff allowed an earned run on six hits and a walk while striking out three in 3 innings. Alexa Rehmeier struck out all four batters she faced, escaping a bases-loaded situation in the top of the fourth inning and setting down the side in the fifth to preserve the win in 1 innings of relief.
"Tabitha did a good job pitching and Alexa came in and finished it for us," Helias coach Dan Campbell said. "That was good to see. Sara (Williams) did a good job catching, so we're feeling good."
Helias sent 13 hitters to the plate in the lineup and tallied 14 hits, making substitutions to rest players while keeping bats fresh for today's 6:30 p.m. home game against Mexico, which has important district seeding implications.
The Lady Crusaders knocked three singles in the first inning and took a 1-0 lead, but could have had more: a runner was caught stealing and another thrown out trying to advance to second.
Helias made sure to use the rest of its opportunities after the Lady Bulldogs tied the game in the top of the second. Kenley Haslag, Paige Luebbering and Sophia Carr loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the second on a walk, an infield hit and a single, and then Taylor Woehr and Emily Harrison hit back-to-back two-out, two-RBI singles to retake a 5-1 advantage.
Woehr hit 3-for-3 and Harrison was 2-for-2, and both scored twice and drove in two runs. Luebbering finished 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI and Haslag had a hit, an RBI and two runs scored for Helias.
Abbi Pringer didn't start the game or play defense, but she entered in the third to lead off as a pinch hitter and doubled, advanced on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly from Haslag.
But the fourth inning was where the Lady Crusaders did their damage, sending 11 batters to the plate, four of them pinch hitters, and scoring seven runs to force the run-rule win.
Tori Hartman singled to lead off and Woehr followed with a single, and then Holly Hentges reached on a bunt single that scored two runs because of a throwing error. Abigale Hoelscher then laced a ball into the right-field corner and beat the throw home for a two-run inside-the-park home run.
"You don't see too many of them, but she did a good job," Campbell said. "She was hustling out of the box, and she looked a little surprised I was sending her, but she kept on going. That was great for her."
Ella Meyer reached on a walk and Haslag put runners at second and third for Luebbering, who hit a double just inside the third-base bag to send home both. Williams' sacrifice fly to center scored Luebbering.
The Lady Crusaders will hand the ball to Lauren Howell for today's game against Mexico. She was the losing pitcher when the Lady Bulldogs (12-3) won 3-2 earlier in the season in the Battle Tournament.
"We're not the same team that we were in the Battle Tournament when they beat us," Campbell said. "They're a good team, don't get me wrong, but we feel like we're playing really good right now."
Helias' 10-game win streak has contributed to that confidence.
"They beat us earlier, and they're in our district, so we want to get the No. 1 seed," Campbell said. "To me, tomorrow's the biggest game of the week for us."
After the run of eight games in a week, Helias is off for a few days before hosting Rock Bridge on Monday.