Strong Showing in Game One Leads to Split for Bobcats

FAIRFIELD, IL. - With the regular season winding down and postseason play approaching, Coach Jeremy Ellis and his Bobcats Softball team are focused on finishing strong. After being swept by Rend Lake in Ina on March 26, FCC welcomed the Warriors to Southwest Park nearly a month later and earned a split in Tuesday's doubleheader.

Game 1 – Frontier 12, Rend Lake 4

Frontier broke the game open with a dominant nine-run third inning on the way to a 12-4 victory over Rend Lake.

The Bobcats set the tone early when Harper Holeman launched a solo home run to left field in the first inning. Rend Lake answered in the second to tie the game, but Frontier regained the lead in the bottom half and never looked back.

After Rend Lake briefly took a 4-2 lead in the top of the third, the Bobcats responded in emphatic fashion. Chloe Papineau singled to drive in a run, Hessi Johnson delivered a three-run double, Peyton Smith added a two-run single, Alicia Stanley and Harper Holeman each drove in a run, and Rylee Hendricks capped the inning with a sacrifice fly.

Lexi Miller earned the win for Frontier, allowing four runs on 11 hits over five innings while striking out five.

Frontier totaled 12 hits in the game, with Holeman, Smith, and Stanley each recording two. Johnson, Holeman, and Smith drove in three runs apiece. The Bobcats also turned a double play and played error-free defense, with Stanley leading the way defensively.

Rend Lake collected 11 hits, led by Carsyn Clark and Taylor Ash with three each.

Game 2 – Rend Lake 4, Frontier 2

Rend Lake responded in game two, earning a 4-2 victory to split the doubleheader.

The Warriors took an early lead in the first inning and extended it to 2-0 in the third. Frontier answered in the fourth, tying the game behind an RBI double from Harper Holeman and an RBI single from Rylee Hendricks.

Rend Lake regained the lead in the fifth on a sacrifice bunt and added an insurance run later to secure the win.

Chloe Papineau took the loss for FCC despite a solid outing, allowing four runs (one earned) on seven hits over seven innings.

Kyndall Webb led the Bobcats at the plate with two hits, while Hendricks and Holeman each drove in a run.

With the split, Frontier moves to 14-28 overall and 14-20 in the Great Rivers Athletic Conference. The Bobcats return to action Thursday as they travel to face the Blue Knights in a conference doubleheader, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.