Churchville-Chili allowed 12 runs in the first inning and never recovered in an 18-3 loss at Gates Chili in girls softball and were 4-16 with one game remaining in the regular season.
The Saints jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as junior shortstop Sarah Russell stroked a two-out double to the wall in right center and scored when junior right fielder Carlee Pulleyn singled.
But the floodgates opened in the bottom half of the inning as Gates Chili sent 12 batters to the plate before an out was recorded and scored 12 runs on just four hits, six walks and had four other runs score on wild pitches.
After the Spartans tacked on a run in the second to make it 13-1, the Saints plated two runs in the top of the third.
Senior co-captain Anna Wiater singled with one out and advanced to second when sophomore Madi Zielke was hit by a pitch. After a wild pitch had both runners move up one base and junior Callie Winn walked to load the bases, senior Alex Erickson drove in Wiater with a single and Zielke scored the final Saints run on a wild pitch.
Wiater and sophomore Zoe Benz each had a pair of hits for the Saints.
