GALESBURG — For the first time ever, Carl Sandburg College is home to the Arrowhead Conference softball champion.
Needing a sweep to make school history, the Chargers (29-23, 16-2) turned in a championship-caliber performance Saturday afternoon, sweeping Black Hawk 9-1 and 6-1 at the Bill Hungate Baseball/Softball Complex in their regular-season finale.
After Friday’s doubleheader between Sandburg and second-place Illinois Valley (14-2) was canceled because of unplayable conditions, the conference title would be determined by winning percentage, meaning a loss Saturday could cost the Chargers the championship. Sandburg, though, raced to early leads in each game against the Braves, leaving little drama for either contest.
It also gave Sandburg coach Todd Winkler his second Arrowhead title of the current athletic year, after he led the Sandburg volleyball team to an undefeated Arrowhead mark in the fall.
GAME 1
Sandburg 9, Black Hawk 1 (5 innings)
Black Hawk 000 10 — 1 5 3
Sandburg 630 0x — 9 11 3
W: Madison Benge 5 IP, 3 K, 0 BB
Key Moment
The Chargers wasted no time in Game 1, sending 11 batters to the plate on the way to a 6-0 first-inning lead. Four consecutive one-out hits — an Emily Bloomer (Burlington, Iowa/Burlington) double, Lauryn Campbell (Galesburg, Ill./Galesburg) double, Madison Benge (Stronghurst, Ill./West Central) single and Grace Wilmington (Chillicothe, Ill./Illinois Valley Central) double — each plated a run to start the scoring. The Chargers added on with RBI singles from Abigail Stranger (Abingdon, Ill./Abingdon-Avon) and Erin Flairty (Pekin, Ill./Pekin) with two away.
Sandburg Standout
Wilmington added another double in the Chargers’ three-run second and finished 2 for 3 with two runs and an RBI.
Other Top Chargers
- Campbell 2 for 3, double, run, two RBIs
- Benge 2 for 3, two runs, RBI; complete-game win, one earned run, five hits allowed, three strikeouts
- Stranger 2 for 2, run, two RBIs
GAME 2
Sandburg 6, Black Hawk 1
Black Hawk 000 000 1 — 1 8 3
Sandburg 230 010 x — 6 10 1
W: Kylie Stineman 7 IP, 6 K, 1 BB
Key Moments
- Sandburg again jumped to a first-inning lead as Flairty led off with a single and scored two batters later on Bloomer’s double to center. Benge came through with a two-out single to plate Bloomer for a 2-0 Chargers lead.
- Flairty and Bloomer each delivered two-out RBI singles as part of the Chargers’ three-run second for a 5-0 advantage.
- Starting pitcher Kylie Stineman (New Boston, Ill./Mercer County) kept Black Hawk off the board for the first 6 2/3 innings before second baseman Lizzie Malcolm (Moline, Ill./Alleman) collected a grounder and threw to Lauryn Campbell at first to clinch the Chargers’ historic victory.
Sandburg Standout
Flairty went 3 for 4, scored twice, drove in a run and stole a base out of the leadoff spot to lead a 10-hit attack for Sandburg.
***Report Courtesy of Carl Sandburg College***
