The Effingham Lady Hearts scored the final five runs of the game to post an 8-6 victory over Robinson and complete a 3-0 sweep of the Robinson Invitational on Saturday.

Effingham also defeated Lawrenceville 4-1 and Fairfield 6-0.

The Robinson game was a back-and-forth contest. The Lady Hearts trailed 2-0 and 6-3 before scoring three runs in the fifth to tie it and two in the sixth to pull out the victory.

In the third, Madi Kirk walked, stole second and third base and scored when Raegan Boone hit into a fielder’s choice. Jerzi Bierman then walked, both runners moved up on a wild pitch and scored when Natalie Armstrong delivered a two-out, two-run double to put the Lady Hearts on top, 3-2.

Robinson scored four runs in the top of the fifth, capped by a three-run homer off the bat of Eva Brashear, to regain the lead, 6-3. But EHS responded in the bottom of the inning.

Boone led off with a double and raced home on an RBI double by Sidney Donaldson. Armstrong then came through again, this time blasting a two-run homer to knot the score at 6-6.

In the sixth, Kirk got a one-out single, stole second and scored on Boone’s RBI base hit. On the play at home and a follow-up throwing error, Boone ended up at third base. Bierman then lined a run-scoring single to account for the final run.

Armstrong, who relieved in the fifth, got credit for the win. She allowed five hits and four runs. Saige Althoff started and pitched the first four innings.

In the first game, Effingham used a pair of two-run innings and the strong pitching of Armstrong to get the 4-1 win over Lawrenceville.

Armstrong went the distance, giving up five hits and one unearned run. She walked one and struck out three.

The Lady Hearts got on the board in the bottom of the third. Althoff led off with a solo homer over the centerfield fence. With two outs, Bierman walked, sole second and came around to score on a throwing error by the Lawrenceville catcher.

In the sixth, leading 2-1, two runners reached base on errors and Mya Harvey delivered a two-out double to drive both of them in.

Althoff tossed a three-hit shutout against Fairfield. She only walked one and struck out eight in seven innings of work.

Bierman had an RBI single in the third and it remained a slim 1-0 lead until Effingham scored five times in the fifth to seize control.

Bria Beals singled, stole second and scored on a base hit by Boone. After Bierman reached on an error, Donaldson ripped a two-run triple. Harvey was hit by a pitch and Ryley Engel capped the inning with a two-RBI single.

The Lady Hearts, now 16-6, will play Monday at Breese Mater Dei.

The Effingham Lady Hearts continued their hot streak with a convincing 12-0 victory Saturday at Carbondale.

Natalie Armstrong scattered four hits and Mya Harvey and Jerzi Bierman combined for seven hits and seven RBI, as the Lady Hearts notched a ninth win in their last 10 games.

EHS took a 1-0 lead in the opening inning and then started to gain control in the third. Raegan Boone doubled, Bierman walked and both stole a base. Sidney Donaldson’s sacrifice fly brought in one run. After Armstrong reached base on a dropped third strike, Harvey delivered a two-run double and the fourth run scored on a ground out by Ryley Engel.

Harvey doubled again and drove home a run in Effingham’s three-run fifth. Bierman then drove home a pair and Harvey added an RBI single in a four-run sixth.

Armstrong went all six innings. She allowed only four hits. She walked just one and struck out four.

The Lady Hearts, now 11-5, will play at home Tuesday against Altamont.

The Effingham Lady Hearts blasted five home runs, including back-to-back-to-back shots, en route to an 11-1, five-inning victory in the second game and the sweep of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at home against Charleston.

Effingham also won the opener, 12-5, to improve to 6-2 in the Apollo Conference.

The Lady Hearts had their hitting shoes on all day. They pounded out 33 hits and scored 23 runs in the twin-bill.

Ryley Engel and Mya Harvey both belted a pair of solo homers and Natalie Armstrong added a two-run shot in the nightcap.

And the long ball display started in the opening inning.

Raegan Boone singled, stole second and third and scored on a ground out. Sidney Donaldson then singled and scored when Armstrong connected with a pitch and sent it sailing over the centerfield fence. Harvey and Engel then made it three straight four-baggers that staked EHS to a 5-0 lead.

Engel added a solo blast in the third and Harvey belted her second round-tripper in the fourth.

Harvey and Engel paced the 14-hit attack with three hits apiece, while Donaldson and Alyssa Martin both had a pair.

Saige Althoff went all five innings to get the win. She allowed four hits and one run, while walking two and striking out a pair.

An eight-run second inning made the difference in the first game. The Lady Hearts and Lady Trojans were tied 3-3 when the hosts came to bat.

Effingham banged out seven straight hits, finished with 10 in the inning and pushed across eight runs to build an 11-3 lead.

Boone led the 19-hit attack with four hits and Engel, who had six hits total in the doubleheader, added three more, while Jerzi Bierman, Donaldson, Armstrong, Martin and Bria Beals all had a pair.

Armstrong pitched all seven innings to get the win. She allowed seven hits and five runs, while walking two and striking out five.

The Lady Hearts, now 13-6 overall, will play Saturday in the Robinson Invitational.

The Effingham Lady Hearts only scored in one inning Thursday afternoon, but that was more than enough for Saige Althoff.

The junior righthander allowed just five baserunners and none of them crossed the plate. And when the Lady Hearts pushed across three runs in the sixth inning, that proved to be decisive, as Effingham finished with a 3-0 victory at Edwardsville.

Althoff gave up two walks and singles in the third, fifth and seventh in her seven-inning performance. She also struck out eight.

The game was scoreless when EHS came to bat in the top of the sixth. Up to that point, the Lady Hearts had just one hit – a first-inning single by Jerzi Bierman.

But that changed in the sixth. Alyssa Martin, Raegan Boone and Bierman all singled to load the bases with no outs. Sidney Donaldson and Natalie Armstrong then delivered RBI singles and Mya Harvey had a sacrifice fly to put the Lady Hearts on top and provide all the support Althoff needed.

Effingham has now won 7 of its last 8 games and improved to 10-5 on the season. The Lady Hearts will return home Monday to play Teutopolis.