Helias blanks Incarnate Word, advances to Class 3 state title game

Helias sophomore Mallorey Rogers hits an RBI double in the top of the fifth inning of Friday's Class 3 semifinal game against Incarnate Word at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. Rogers was 3-for-3 with three doubles, scored twice and drove in three runs in Helias' 8-0 victory.
Helias sophomore Mallorey Rogers hits an RBI double in the top of the fifth inning of Friday's Class 3 semifinal game against Incarnate Word at the Killian Softball Complex in Springfield. Rogers was 3-for-3 with three doubles, scored twice and drove in three runs in Helias' 8-0 victory.

SPRINGFIELD - The Helias Lady Crusaders had a plan.

They knew the potent combination of junior Alexa Rehmeier's side-to-side movement and screwball, followed by senior Lauren Howell's speed on her drop and riseballs, are each difficult to hit, let alone adjusting from one to the other.

Helias knew Incarnate Word Academy's pitchers threw to soft contact, not walks or strikeouts, which made consecutive hits, or at least productive outs, a necessity to plate runs, and knew it would have to play mistake-free to keep the dangerous group of hitters in the heart of the Red Knights' batting order quiet.

The Lady Crusaders executed their plan and got the game they wanted out of Incarnate Word Friday afternoon, winning 8-0 to advance to the program's first state title game since winning the Class 4 title in 2005.

Helias (25-5) will face Sullivan (25-6) for the Class 3 state title at 4 p.m. today in Springfield. Sullivan beat Savannah 10-2 in its semifinal Friday.

"It's a testament to our girls' will to compete and win the battle," Helias coach Chris Wyrick said after the team's 11th consecutive win. "If we keep that mentality tomorrow, I like our chances, because tomorrow's going to be a grind. Tomorrow's going to be a tough, tough matchup for us, and we know what we're up against."

The Lady Crusaders gave up just three hits, and the pitching staff and defense did not allow a baserunner to reach third base. Rehmeier, the starter, gave up a walk in the third inning and a two-out single in the fourth inning and nothing else, striking out five in four innings. Howell, who missed much of the early season after an injury, struck out the first five batters she faced, gave up a two-out double in the sixth and a leadoff single in the seventh, then struck out the next two batters swinging to end the game.

Catcher Riley Heckenkamp threw the ball in the air after the final strikeout and embraced Howell in front of the circle before the two turned to celebrate with the rest of their teammates.

"To come back from an injury, it feels really good to make a comeback like this, when it was really upsetting in the beginning of the year," Howell, an Arkansas commit, said. "Coming out here and getting a chance to throw in the state finals is huge."

"I'm not surprised that she came back out here, at all," right fielder Holly Hentges said of Howell. "She's the strongest person I know. As soon as she went down early in the season and she couldn't pitch, she worked as hard as she could to come back. She's here and she's proven herself, but she is one of the best pitchers I've ever seen."

The senior-heavy group of hitters knocked 14 hits with a walk, a hit by pitch and one strike out, but it was sophomore Mallorey Rogers who provided the spark. Rogers hit 3-for-3, scored twice and drove in three runs. Hentges was also 3-for-3 with an RBI and reached on the HBP, Kenley Haslag was 2-for-3 with a run scored and two RBI, Taylor Woehr hit 2-for-5 with a run and an RBI, Heckenkamp was 1-for-3 with a walk and courtesy runner Livia Bloomer scored twice. Paige Luebbering was 0-for-3 but drove in a run with a groundout.

"I got up in the morning and I was really pumped," Rogers said. "I just wanted to do this for the seniors. I just wanted to play for them, I'm really excited for them, and I'm glad I can be at state too, it's an amazing opportunity."

The Lady Crusaders wasted no time against Incarnate Word starter Mia Boyd. Woehr led off the game with a double that fell just inside the third-base line on the fourth pitch of the game. Ella Meyer singled to third, Rylee Kolb beat out a double-play ball and advanced Woehr, who scored on Haslag's sacrifice fly.

Rogers led off the second inning with a double, one of three in the game, and after an Abigale Hoelscher sacrifice bunt moved Rogers over, she scored on a curious decision by Red Knights' third baseman Brielle DiMemmo. DiMemmo fielded Luebbering's grounder near the third base bag after Rogers took off for home, but went for the force out at first base.

It looked like Helias was only going to score runs playing small-ball and capitalizing on Incarnate Word mistakes, but that changed in the third inning. With two out, Haslag and Heckenkamp reached on back-to-back singles and Rogers followed with a double to the fence in right-center to double the lead. The Lady Crusaders went scoreless in the fourth, but Rylee Kolb and Haslag hit consecutive doubles to start the fifth and Rogers smashed her third double of the game over the head of the center fielder to score Haslag.

"She's been, really, on fire this whole season," Hentges said of Rogers. "When she keeps it simple, she has so much power. She adds the biggest hitting threat I've ever seen."

Helias plated three runs in the fifth and added an insurance run in the top of the seventh, when Heckenkamp drew a walk, Paige Schaffer knocked a pinch-hit single and Hentges wore one to load the bases. Woehr hit a bloop single into no-man's land behind the pitcher's circle to give Howell an eight-run cushion.

The team's attention now turns to Sullivan. The Lady Eagles, in search of their first title ,finished runner-up in 2016 and third a year ago, and have a 6-5 record in six total appearances.

Mississippi State commit Addison Purvis has an ERA below 1.00 and more than 150 strikeouts in 80 innings this season, and is also hitting .703 with 12 home runs. The senior allowed two earned runs on three hits and three walks against Savannah in the other semifinal but struck out 13 in a complete game, and was 1-for-2 with three walks, two runs and an RBI at the plate.

First baseman and fellow senior Hannah Cox is hitting .500 this season with 13 home runs and 52 RBI, though she was just 1-for-5 against Savannah. Junior third baseman Hanna Johanning is hitting .420 with 38 RBI on the year, and was 2-for-5 with two doubles, a run and two RBI against the Savages.

"We like what we're doing, we know we're up against it tomorrow, but I think we'll be ready," Wyrick said.