Bulldogs roll past Herrin

The Harrisburg softball team moved to 5-5 overall and 2-2 in SIRR Ohio play with a 15-3 win over Herrin in six innings Tuesday afternoon.
Kerrigan Payne improved to 5-4 with the win in the circle as the junior right hander allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits, while striking out five and walking two.
Payne paced the Bulldogs at the plate, hitting her second home run of the season, a solo shot in the first inning as she went 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Sidney Neal and Joey Quinn were both 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, while Riley Wright and Tessa Harrison were each 2-for-3. Harrison finished with a pair of RBI, while Wright had one. Liza Wiggins was 1-for-4 with with two RBI.
It's been a rollercoaster start to the season for Harrisburg head coach Red Stafford and his club, who lost to Murphysboro 8-1 on Monday. Last week, Harrisburg posted a pair of wins, beating Benton (6-20 and Pope County (3-0). Prior to that, the Bulldogs dropped a pair, falling to Waltonville (5-1 & 11-0) and losing to West Frankfort (8-5).
"We are extremely young and inexperienced," Stafford said of his team that starts one senior (Wright) and just two juniors (Payne and Harrison). "There are a lot of fresh faces out there and we're a work in progress right now. We're not hitting the ball real well, but we're coming along."
On Wednesday, Harrisburg dropped a 5-3 affair to Goreville in eight innings.
Payne took the loss in the circle as she gave up five runs (three earned) on 10 hits, while striking out 10.
Neal was 2-for-4 at the plate, while Payne went 1-for-2 with an RBI. Wiggins also had an RBI, going 1-for-3, as was, Harrison. Mackenzie Boyd had the other RBI for Harrisburg.
Harrisburg was scheduled to play Johnston City Thursday and will be at West Frankfort on Friday.