Allison Pingel inched closer to the school's single-season home run record Tuesday, but it may have been a pair of first timers who stole the show. Pingel and Peyton Gun each had two home runs, and Kira Cunningham had one as Three Rivers won the nightcap 13-4 in five innings after winning the opener 4-1 on Tuesday at St. Louis. With 14 home runs this season, Pingel is now one away from Destiny Bolen for the Three Rivers single season record while Gunn and Cunningham hit their first college home runs. "Gunn, she was about in tears," Three Rivers coach Jeff Null said. "Her parents didn't come. They come to every game, they miss this game and she hits two home runs. Her dad said he's never coming to another game." Cunningham, a sophomore from Twin Rivers High School, went over to her coach after her home run and said, "Coach, I guess Hell froze over." Pingel has hit half her home runs since March 22 and now has three multiple home run games this season. She was 4 for 4 with three runs and three RBIs in the nightcap after not getting a hit in the opener. Through 35 games, Pingel is hitting .491 with and .946 slugging percentage, 57 RBIs and 26 runs. Three Rivers (26-9) and St. Louis were tied at two after the first inning of the nightcap. With one out in the third, Gunn connected for a three-run homer as part of a four-run inning. Three Rivers added five runs in the fourth, all off home runs. Pingel and Gunn had solo homers, and Cunningham added a three-run home run over the fence in left-center field to put the Lady Raiders ahead 11-2. Pingel soon added two more runs in the fifth inning with her second home run. "It was all smiles in Game 2," Null said. Gunn finished with four RBIs and Cunningham had three. Leadoff hitter Randi Scruggs also had three RBIs after hitting a trio of Singles. Scruggs, who stole second twice, was left stranded each time. Macy Rogers (7-1) pitched all five innings in the win. Rogers allowed nine hits and no walks with three strikeouts. She allowed a two run home run in the fifth, but retired the next three batters to end the game invoke the run rule.

Summer Shockley (16-3) struck out 10 in the opener in another dominant start. She allowed four hits and three walks and St. Louis' only run was a solo home run from the No. 9 batter. Shockley retired nine in a row at one point, including four consecutive strikeouts against the bottom of the Lady Archer lineup. It was Shockley's seventh game this season with 10 or more strikeouts. She set a season high of 15 against John A. Logan in her second start of the season. Randi Scruggs scored three of the Lady Raiders' four runs after going 3 for 4 with a triple. She also stole second twice, giving her four stolen bases in the doubleheader and 33 for the season. Kristyn Carpenter, who hits second behind Scruggs in the lineup, singled and scored on an error in the third inning, putting the Lady Raiders ahead 3-0. "Their pitcher did a good job. Our top two in the order made some stuff happen and we were able to steal a few bases. We did a good job of playing situational ball," Null said. After Shockley allowed that solo home run in the bottom of the frame, Scruggs added one last run in the fifth after Gracie King, who had three RBIs without a hit, drove her in with a sacrifice fly.

Scott Borkgren - Daily American Republic