Softball Game Preview: Effingham Hearts vs. Carbondale Terriers

For the second straight game, Effingham will face off against Carbondale. The Hearts will host the Terriers at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Effingham is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.2 runs per game this season.

On Friday, Effingham came up short against Carbondale and fell 7-3. That's two games in a row now that the Hearts have lost by exactly four runs.

For Carbondale's part, Anniston Thompson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits.

At the plate, Carbondale got a big performance out of Ella Karayiannis, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most hits Karayiannis has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Jasmine Martin, who went 3-for-5 with two RBI and one double.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Carbondale kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive contests.

Effingham's defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 23-8. As for Carbondale, their victory bumped their record up to 10-12.