SOFTBALL: Tigers cruise to Triad title

TROY - Setting the tone early and forcing the opposition to play from behind is becoming quite a theme for the Edwardsville High softball team.

The Tigers were at it again on Saturday when they victimized a pair of Mississippi Valley Conference teams in the Triad Tournament. Edwardsville used its potent offense and stellar mound work from junior Lauren Francis to defeat Civic Memorial 9-0 in the semifinals and Triad 5-0 in the championship game.

Mount Vernon defeated 16-6 CM 3-1 for third place and Alton outlasted O'Fallon 11-8 for fifth.

Edwardsville (22-3) scored a pair of first-inning runs against the Knights (16-6), another in the second and two more in the fourth off Triad's Ashley DePew to win its second straight tournament title. The Tigers also won the championship in 2006. Last year's tournament was postponed because of foul weather.

Winners of 15 straight, the Tigers banged out 18 hits in two games Saturday. They also had nine more Friday in an 8-0 win over Bunker Hill. Edwardsville thus outscored its opponents 22-0 in three tournament games.

"They're having a good time right now, and they're fun to watch," Edwardsville coach Lori Blade said of her team. "I'm just kind of sitting back and making a few decisions here and there and that's it."

Senior Nicole Ritzheimer, who moved from the No. 5 slot to leadoff this year, got the Tigers goiung with a first-inning triple in the title game. She scored when Triad third baseman Jessie Engel couldn't handle the relay throw. Just like that, it was 1-0.

"Ritzy set the tone in this game early," Blade said. "That always seems to help us and then they kind of feed off each other."

Becca Strope singled home Sophie Berman, who doubled with two outs, to make it 2-0 and the Tigers made it 3-0 in the second inning.

"We just did not look good today. It's kind of disappointing," Triad coach Bruce Lewis said. "I thought we'd play a little better. That's just the way it goes. They hit the ball well and took advantage of the mistakes that we had. I think we're better than that."

The Tigers put it away in the fourth when Adrienne Kruse and Julie Honegger had back-to-back singles with one out. Davis' sacrifice fly plated Kruse with the fourth run and Ritzheimer doubled home Honegger with the fifth and final run.

"Coming into this (leadoff) role, I really didn't think about it," said Ritzheimer, who now has 20 RBIs on the season. "(Blade) kind of told me at the beginning of the year what I think about leadoff.

"Last year, I hit in the five-spot, the RBI clean-up (batter)," she said. "This year, it's more just setting the tone, getting on base. I take what I can get. I think anywhere you are in the lineup, you've got to do your job. I just do mine like everyone else does."

Francis, who improved to 16-2 on the season, allowed a pair of scratch infield singles to go along with one walk and five strikeouts as her offense is making life easy for the junior.

"It's so much easier, especially when they come out hitting the way they do with so much enthusiasm," Francis said. "You know they're going to be focused and have your back behind you , too."

The Tigers struck early against CM in the semifinals. They scored in the second, then used a pair of four-run innings to beat the Eagles for the second time this season.

"They're a great-hitting team," CM coach Mike Eddy said. ""We know they're going to score runs. I was hoping it would be even, but we gave them their first four. When we can't get a bunt out, we drop fly balls or we miss a cut. Unfortunately you just can't do that against Edwardsville."

Sophie Berman led the charge by going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles, a triple and three RBIs. Rachel Coonrod, Honegger and Davis each had two hits as Francis allowed three hits over six innings.

Kaylee Yates took the loss. The senior allowed nine hits and seven earned runs with one walk and four strikeouts. Kayla Eddy had two of CM's three hits.