Miller’s game-winning hit in bottom of eighth inning caps wild victory for Central over Western

CAMP POINT, Ill. — The look Lauren Miller wore on her face provided an indication to what had preceded her game-winning hit in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

“This game was an emotional rollercoaster … we just tried to keep the pressure on and keep scoring,” said Miller, whose frozen-rope one-out double down the left-field line provided Camp Point Central with a hard-earned — to say the least — 7-6 softball victory over Western on a sun-splashed and breezy Wednesday afternoon.

Miller’s two-base hit — her second double of the game — improved Central to 8-2 and dropped Western to 4-3 in a matchup of two of the region’s better small-school programs. The back-and-forth contest saw five lead changes, 20 hits, two home runs and 13 players record at least one hit.

“There were a lot of ups and downs,” understated Miller, who also got credit for the pitching victory after moving from shortstop to the mound to earn the final out in the top of the eighth. “You could feel the momentum shifting (at different points in the game).”

Gwen Huston, who had four hits for Central, forced extra innings with a one-out solo homer to right-center in the bottom of the seventh. She echoed Miller’s thoughts.

“It was a very exciting game,” said Huston, a .430 hitter who collected a double and pair of singles prior to the home run.

The home run was Huston’s first this season.

“It was also the first of my career,” the junior proudly noted.

It also was Huston’s first four-hit game.

Miller and Huston set the tone for what was an impressive heart of the Central order. Miller, Anna Peters and Huston — the Nos. 3-4-5 sluggers in the Panthers’ lineup — combined to get on base in nine of 12 at-bats and drove in six runs.

“We persevered … the girls never got down and our offense did very well,” said Central coach Brey Genenbacher, whose club pushed across at least one run and had two or more hits in five of its eight at-bats.

Miller ended with three hits For Central, while Karly Peters smacked a pair of safeties.

“We still have room for growth. We still have some things we need to clean up,” Genenbacher said.

There was no argument from her players.

“There’s room for improvement, but we have the right kind of attitude to make the improvements we need on both offense and defense,” Miller said.

The emotional nature of the game was felt on both sides of the field.

“Holy cow … ,” was all first-year Western coach Rachel Motley could immediately muster afterward. “This was a tough game.”

Motley admitted to frustration after Western allowed 5-4 and 6-5 leads to slip away late in the game. Briley Westfall swatted a two-out home run to left-center to give Western its 6-5 advantage in the top of the eighth.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” she said. “We need to work on our defense. No one is perfect, but we’re not even close to where we need to be.”

Loryn White, Allison Woods and Sophie Rennecker all turned in two-hit performances for Western. Seven of the 10 girls who batted for Western banged out at least one base hit.

Emma Stephens pitched the first 7 2/3 innings for Central. White went the distance for Western.