ST. CHARLES – The Three Rivers softball team came away with a split with St. Charles as the Raiders lost the opener 7-2, but bounced back to win the second game 9-7.

The Cougars took advantage of three runs in the first and two runs in the fourth and by the time Three Rivers got on the board in the fifth and sixth innings, it was too little too late for them as they came away with a loss.

Alyson Marcum was in the circle to start for the Raiders as she gave up seven runs, four earned, on nine hits despite pounding the strikezone with 11 strikeouts and only one walk in five innings.

Molly Spangler and Abby Wilson drove in the two lone RBIs for the Raiders with Spangler hitting an RBI single in the fifth and Wilson going deep for a solo home run to lead off the sixth.

The bats were more lively for Three Rivers in the second game as they recorded 12 hits and the Raiders took an early lead with four runs in the first while St. Charles scored one in the first and two in the second to make it 4-3 Three Rivers.

The Raiders added two more runs in the fourth on a bases loaded single by Karle Happold, one run in the fifth on an Audrey Rahlmann double and two runs in the sixth on a home run by Kyla Puckett.

The Cougars rallied for four runs in the seventh, but Makayla Bryant was able to shut them down as she tossed a complete game with two earned runs and six strikeouts on her statline.

With the split on Tuesday, the Raiders move to 29-11 overall and 9-7 against Region XVI opponents. They are still in fourth in the region standings behind Jefferson, Crowder and St. Louis. The Raiders will play two more against St. Charles on Wednesday as they'll bring the series home to JD Rains Field starting at 2 p.m.

Robert Augsdorfer - Daily American Republic