Helias softball beats Borgia 8-3

Helias lead Borgia 6-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning Sept. 25, 2018, at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex. The Lady Crusaders won the game by 8-3.
Helias lead Borgia 6-0 going to the bottom of the fourth inning Sept. 25, 2018, at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex. The Lady Crusaders won the game by 8-3.

The Helias Lady Crusaders wrapped up their regular-season home schedule in style.

"The girls came out fired up to play," Helias coach Dan Campbell said Tuesday night after the Lady Crusaders topped the Borgia Lady Knights 8-3 at the American Legion Post 5 Sports Complex.

Helias finished with 10 hits in the game and Lauren Howell was dominant in the circle, striking out 16.

After Howell struck out the side in the top of the first inning, Helias scored four runs in its half.

Taylor Woehr led off and reached on an error and stole second before Holly Hentges was hit by a pitch. Abigale Hoelscher came on to run for Hentges.

Abbi Pringer then singled to center to score Woehr and advance Hoelscher to second. Riley Heckenkamp followed with a single to center of her own to score Hoelscher to make it 2-0.

Both runners moved up a base on a Paige Luebbering grounder. Pringer scored on a passed ball before Heckenkamp scored on a grounder by Kenley Haslag to make it 4-0.

"We put the ball in play, moving runners, hitting it to the right side," Campbell said.

After Howell struck out two in the second, Sophia Carr led off the bottom of the inning with a double and later scored on a fielder's choice and it was 5-0.

Howell struck out the side in the third and Helias added another run in the bottom of the inning. Pringer and Heckenkamp led off the inning with singles before Pringer later scored on a groundout by Luebbering to make it 6-0.

Howell struck out the side in the fourth while issuing a two-out walk. Borgia got on the board with a run in the fifth on two walks, a hit-batter and a wild pitch.

Helias answered with two in the bottom of the inning. Hoelscher led off and reaches on an infield error before scoring on an outfield error on a ball hit by Pringer. Heckenkamp then drove in Pringer with a groundout to make it 8-1

"We were getting some good jumps off third base today to score some runs on grounders," Campbell said.

Borgia made the final 8-3 on a two-run home run by Josie Lindemann in the top of the sixth.

Heckenkamp finished with three of Helias' 10 hits. Pringer added two while scoring three times. The Lady Crusaders struck out just three times.

"We were making good contact, that was good to see," Campbell said.

Howell finished with a three-hitter, while issuing three walks.

Helias (16-4) will close the regular season with three games in Columbia, starting today at Hickman. The Lady Crusaders will play Monday at Rock Bridge and Oct. 8 at Father Tolton. Helias is also scheduled to play Oct. 5-6 at the Rolla Invitational.

Helias is in the Class 3 District 8 Tournament, scheduled to start Oct. 9 in Ashland. The tournament has not been seeded yet.