Pyle’s perfect day powers Chargers in sweep at Sauk Valley

DIXON — The Sandburg softball team banged out 44 hits as it finished a season sweep of Sauk Valley by winning a pair of Arrowhead Conference games on the road Thursday against the Skyhawks.

GAME 1
Sandburg 8, Sauk Valley 0 (5 innings)
Sandburg      321     11       —        8          19       0
Sauk Valley   000     00       —        0          2          2
W: Mary Hellige 3.2 IP, 7 K, 3 BB

Key moments
The Chargers jumped to a quick 3-0 lead as Jordyn Climer led off with a walk on scored on Bailey Ryan's double to left. Mary Hellige's bases-loaded single two batters later brought in Ryan, and Paige Huffman followed with a RBI base hit.

Sandburg standout
Hellige had three of the Chargers' 19 hits in the contest and combined with Climer for a two-hit shutout. At the plate, Hellige finished 3 for 4 with a double and two RBIs. As the starting pitcher, she allowed just two hits and three walks while striking out seven in 3.2 innings to get the victory.

Other top Chargers
• Climer: 2 for 3, double, walk, two runs, stolen base; 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 BB, 2 K
• Ryan: 3 for 4, double, two runs, two RBIs
• Ailexa Hunter: 1 for 4, run, two RBIs
• Hannah Pyle: 3 for 3, home run, walk, two runs, RBI
• Alexis Brammeier: 2 for 3
• Erin Jackson: 2 for 3
• Cheyanne Rodgers: 2 for 2, walk, run

GAME 2
Sandburg 14, Sauk Valley 7
Sandburg      010     151     6          —        14       25       3
Sauk Valley   330     001     0          —        7          9          4
W: Rodgers 5 IP, 1 K, 0 BB

Key moments
• Sandburg trailed 6-1 after two innings but jumped in front 7-6 after a five-run top of the sixth. Ryan doubled in a pair of runs to make it 6-4, and Pyle's two-bagger to left scored Ryan to bring the Chargers within a run. After a Hellige single, Huffman doubled to left to put Sandburg ahead.
• Following an RBI single from Huffman in the sixth to extend the lead to 8-6, the Chargers plated six runs in the seventh, highlighted by Rodgers' home run to center.

Sandburg standout
Pyle ended up 4 for 4 with a walk, a double, three runs scored and three RBIs as the Chargers banged out a season-high 25 hits in the win. The effort put a bow on a spectacular day for the freshman first baseman. In the doubleheader, Pyle went 7 for 7, walked twice, doubled, hit a homer, scored five runs and drove in four.

Other top Chargers
• Climer: 2 for 5, two runs
• Ryan: 3 for 5, double, three runs, two RBIs
• Hellige: 4 for 5, double, three runs, two RBIs
• Huffman: 3 for 5, double, three RBIs
• Brammeier: 3 for 5, two RBIs
• Tegan Cobb: 2 for 4, walk
• Rodgers: 1 for 3, walk, double, two runs, RBI; 5 IP, 1 ER, 1 K, 0 BB

UP NEXT
1 p.m. Friday at Kankakee 

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