By Jim Beers, Contributing Writer
CHESTER – Week 9 brought the final four games of the regular season for the Chester High School Lady Jackets Softball Team. In that action-packed final week, the Jackets won one game and lost three. Two of the four games were Cahokia Conference games while two were non-conference.
Chester lost Monday May 9 at Wesclin, 9-7 in a Cahokia Conference game. Wednesday May 1 the Jackets traveled to Sparta and rolled over the Lady Bulldogs, 20-2 in a Cahokia Conference game.
“Friday the 13” proved to be a very scary day for the Lady Jackets when the Anna-Jonesboro Lady Wildcats came to Cohen Field in Chester and took home a 16-4 non-conference game from the CHS hosts. Making things worse was the fact that it was “Senior Day” for the Jackets!
Saturday May 14 Chester traveled to Trico for another non-conference game to end the regular season. The Lady Jackets let one slip away when the Lady Pioneers scored two runs in the bottom of the 7th inning to ruin a 2-1 Chester lead and grab the win, 3-2.
Wesclin 9-Chester 7
The Lady Jackets led 4-3 after 5 ½ innings of play but a huge 6-run bottom of the 6th scoring spree put a dark shadow on what appeared to be a YellowJackets win. Wesclin led, 9-4.
Chester responded in the top of the 7th with a three-run effort, but couldn’t make up the two-point deficit. The Chester ladies fell to the Lady Warriors, 9-7, in spite of a valiant effort.
In the loss, the Jackets recorded six hits including four singles (Camrynn Luthy, (1) Ashlyn Colvis (1), and Elaina Lutman (2), and a pair of doubles, Ashlyn Colvis (1), and Kylie Fortner (1). Chester also recorded five RBI’s including Luthy (1), Colvis (3), and Lutman (1).
The Warriors had seven hits, five RBI’s, and nine runs. Hailey Rakers led the Warriors on the mound all seven innings. She struck out ten Lady Jackets and walked just one. Emma Eggemeyer had the loss for Chester allowing seven hits and nine runs over five and a third innings. She struck out four batters.
Chester 20-Sparta 2
The Lady Jackets traveled to Sparta for a Cahokia Conference Illinois Division game Wednesday May 11. The Jackets had a huge first inning earning six runs. Elaina Lutman reached base on balls and Kylie Fortner reached third base on a hard hit ball that led to a Libby Renner error. Chester’s Lutman scored. Chester led, 1-0.
Emma Eggemeyer then came to bat and singled on a hard hit ball to second basemen Madi Mahan. Kylie Fortner then scored on a passed ball (CHS 2-0). Ashlyn Colvis then singled to shortstop Sydney Rheinecker and Emma Eggemeyer advanced to 2nd base.
Emma Eggemeyer, a junior, is the Chester High School starting pitcher, and is not afraid to take matters into her own hands at the plate. In games in the final week of the regular season Eggemeyer struck out 16 batters; scored 7 runs; recorded 2 RBI’s; reached base on balls twice; hit one single and one double. Jim Beers Photo
Camrynn Luthy came up to the plate and singled on a line drive smash to 3rd baseman Kylee McDaniel scoring Emma Eggemeyer. (CHS 3-0) Lady Jacket Kinsli McCartney was next up and knocked a double to center field scoring both Colvis and Luthy. Chester led, 5-0.
To end the run, Kourtney Welton hit a double on a fly ball to left fielder Gracie Ledendecker scoring Kinsli McCartney and the Jackets led, 6-0.
Sparta answered with a 2-run bottom of the 1st inning as a result of two Lady Jacket errors. The Lady Bulldogs would not score again.
The Jackets continued to dominate with a 3-run 2nd inning, another 6-run 3rd inning, a 1-run 4th inning, and a 4-run 5th inning to win 20-2.
In the win Chester recorded 20 runs on 12 hits, 16 RBI’s, 11 walks, and just two strike outs. The following nine YellowJackets scored in the victory including Elaina Lutman (3), Kylie Fortner (3), Emma Eggemeyer (4), Ashlyn Colvis (3), Anna Childs (1), Camrynn Luthy (3), Kinsli McCartney (1), Whitney Sulser (1), and Emma Murphy (1).
Emma Eggemeyer got the win for Chester allowing just two runs and one hit. She struck out seven Bulldog batters. Ashlyn Colvis threw one inning of relief for the Jackets.
Madi Schulein took the loss for Sparta surrendering 15 runs on eight hits over 2 1/3 innings. She struck out one CHS batter.
Anna-Jonesboro 16-Chester 4
“Friday the 13th” was “Senior Day” for the Lady Jacket’s final home game of 2022. Prior to the game Coach Ryan Petrowske hosted a “Senior Day” ceremony honoring three Lady Jacket seniors. Each senior was introduced and presented with balloons, flowers and gifts.
Pictured are Chester High School Softball Coaches with their senior players on “Senior Day” 2022. It was the final home game of the season and the Lady Jackets hosted Anna-Jonesboro at the Cohen Fields in Chester. Left to right are Head Coach Ryan Petrowske; Volunteer Assistant Coach Crystal Tindall; Shortstop, Kylie Fortner; 1st Baseman, Anna Childs; Catcher, Ashlyn Colvis; Volunteer Assistant Emily Millburg; and Assistant Coach, Justin Frazer. Jim Beers Photo
The three seniors included 1st baseman Anna Childs, catcher Ashlyn Colvis, and shortstop Kylie Fortner. Recognized with the girls were their parents, Mindy Childs and Bryan Childs; Charles and Tabatha Colvis; and Shelly Scanlan.
Friday May 13 the Chester High School Softball Team celebrated its three seniors at the “Senior Day” game vs Anna-Jonesboro. Pictured with their parents are (left to right: Ashlyn Colvis (12) with her parents Charles and Tabitha Colvis; Kylie Fortner (7) and her mother Shelly Scanlan; and Anna Childs with her parents Bryan Childs and Mindy Childs. Jim Beers Photo
Prior to the game, Coach Petrowske said, “This is a winnable game. We will have to play well because AJ is a good team, but our girls have been playing well and if we don’t make mistakes and play like we can, we will be able to win. Besides it is “Senior Day” and we have good crowd support today!”
CHS Senior Softball Players (left to right) Anna Childs, Ashlyn Colvis, and Kylie Liefer, take time out from 2022 “Senior Night” pre-game festivities to relax and relieve some steam prior to the opening pitch of the “Senior Day” contest vs Anna-Jonesboro. The threesome is climbing the backstop beneath their senior banners. All three have been major leaders all season long for their young Lady Jacket squad! Jim Beers Photo
“Friday the 13th did not bother the Lady Jackets in the first inning as the girls came out strong and led, 3-0 after one inning of play. The Jackets held the Lady Wildcats scoreless in the top of the first inning as AJ’s lead-off batter Jenna Sadler flied out to Chester second baseman Elaina Lutman.
CHS senior Anna Childs prepares to make a play at 1st Base Friday May 13 in the “Senior Day” game vs Anna-Jonesboro. Jim Beers Photo
Next up AJ’s center fielder, Avery Osman, doubled on a line drive to Chester center fielder, Camrynn Luthy.
With Osman on second base, Payton Seip came to the plate and took ball one. Osman stole 3rd base on the play and was within scoring position with just one out. Seip then hit into a double play with catcher Ashlyn Colvis throwing to first baseman Anna Childs who cut down Avery Osman who attempted to score.
Kylie Fortner, a Chester High School senior softball player, fields a hard-hit ball Friday May 13 in the 2022 “Senior Night” game against the Anna-Jonesboro Lady Wildcats. Jim Beers Photo
In the bottom of the 1st inning Chester’s Elaina Lutman hit a double on a long fly ball to left fielder Olivia Schafer. On the next play, Kylie Fortner smashed a ground ball to third baseman Arianna Turner who committed an error allowing Fortner to reach 2nd base while Lutman scored. (CHS 1-0).
CHS senior catcher, Ashlyn Colvis handles the duties behind the plate for the 2022 CHS Lady Jacket Softball Team. Colvis did a great job catching starting pitcher, Emma Eggemeyer, all season long and will continue her softball career next year playing for the Kaskaskia College Blue Angels. Jim Beers Photo
With Fortner on 3rd base, Emma Eggemeyer grounded out to the pitcher, Jenna Sadler allowing Fortner to score. (Chester 1 out; leads 2-0). On the nest play, Ashlyn Colvis singled on a ground ball to center fielder Avery Osman.
Anna Childs then bunted to the pitcher and was thrown out allowing Colvis to advance to 2nd base (Chester 2 outs). Chester batter Camrynn Luthy came to the plate and knocked a double to center field driving in Colvis. (Chester 3-0). The inning ended with Kinsli McCartney striking out.
AJ had a huge 7-run in the 2nd inning featuring a home run, single, double, walk, and base on balls. Add to that two key Chester errors and the Wildcats managed to take a 7-3 lead.
In the bottom of the 2nd inning Chester scored one run. Emma Murphy walked, then advanced to 2nd base on a Wildcat error. Murphy then scored when Kylie Fortner hit the ball to 2nd base allowing her to score. It was Chester’s final run of the. (Anna-Jonesboro, 7-Cheter 4).
The Jackets then went cold for five consecutive innings. AJ scored again in the 3rd (1), 4th (1), 5th (3), and 7th (4), to win, 16-4.
In the loss, the Lady Jackets recorded nine hits, 6 singles and 3 doubles. They also had 12 runners on base and three RBI’s. Ashlyn Colvis led the team with three hits, two singles and one double. Elaina Lutman had one single and one double. Camryn Luthy had the other double.
Trico 2-Chester 2
The Jackets scheduled a last minute contest Saturday May 14 at Trico. It was a final warm-up for both teams prior to regionals.
Both teams scored in the first inning for a 1-1 tie. Chester’s Lutman reached base on a single that went to the catcher. Alyssa Bastien could not make the throw and Lutman was safe on first. Lutman scored when Ashlyn Colvis tripled on a line drive to right fielder, KayLynn Bowerman. (CHS 1-0).
In the bottom of the first the Lady Pioneers answered with a run when Dalyn Eilers reached base on a Chester error and later scored on a Madi Rathert single to center fielder Camrynn Luthy. (Chester 1-Trico 1).
The rest of the game the score remained knotted until the top of the 7th inning when Chester scored one run. Elaina Lutman doubled to left field to each 2nd base. Kylie Fortner then singled to right field to score Lutman.
Chester 2-Trico 1
In the bottom of the 7th Emma Eggemeyer struck out Taylor Cottom for out No. 1. All looked good for Chester!
With a 3-2 count, Emma Eggemeyer allowed Trico’s Josie Wettig to hit a fly ball to Chester left fielder Emma Murphy who couldn’t handle the ball. Wettig reached base on the error. Trico managed to score two more runs with one out to win the game, 3-2.
In the loss, the Lady Jackets recorded eight hits with 2 RBI’s. Emma Eggemeyer struck out three pioneer batters. Elian Lutman led the Jackets with three hits, 2 singles and 1 double. Emma Murphy contributed two hits, both singles.
Madi Rathert was the winning pitcher for Trico. She went six innings and allowed two runs on six hits. She struck out three Lady Jackets and walked one.
The Yellow Jackets fell 5-1 to West Frankfort in the Regional at West Frankfort to close their season.