Three Rivers' Maegan Booker rounds the bases following a home run against St. Charles Monday afternoon at Rains Field. (Alex Abate/DAR) [Click to enlarge]

By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer

The Lady Raiders pitching allowed just two runs and the offense was rolling along in a doubleheader sweep over St. Charles on Monday 10-2 and 7-0.

Three Rivers has now won 10 of its last 11 contests.

"It's been since we came back from Branson and Florida, and we were playing some tough competition there," Three Rivers coach Jack Childress said. "That is where you build from is playing better competition."

Free-swinging bats were a key for the Lady Raiders (20-11).

"The bats are what helped us," Childress said. "25 hits in 12 innings is what you dream about."

In the first game, the Lady Raiders had a 4-2 lead heading into the fifth inning, when they scored five times.

After Lindsey Landles and Cortney Ostendorf singled, Leslie Taylor grounded into a fielder's choice, Maegan Booker singled to load the bases for Wendy Eftink. Eftink promptly unloaded the bases with a line-drive home run over the center field wall to make it 8-4.

"She just amazed me " Childress said. "She is not a real big girl but has a little power."

The Lady Raiders added two more runs to set the final after five innings. Early hitting set the Lady Raiders off on the right foot in the first inning. Kaci Menz walked and then stole second. She later scored on Landles' double to make it 1-0 and Booker got in on the hitting just three batters later with a long ball to make it 3-0.

"What set the tone was Kaci getting on base " Childress said. "She gets on and steals second and now we have someone on second, and I feel good about us getting at least one run."

St. Charles threatened in the fourth inning as it scored one run and was looking for more against a struggling Chelsea Claypole. After a passed ball, Childress went with Brittany Holoien on the mound and she got the next two batters to strike out and fly out to end the threat.

"Holoien seems like she is better when she doesn't start," Childress said.

Claypole earned the win on the mound with 3 1/3 innings pitched and three strikeouts. In the second game, Holoien got the win as she pitched four innings and allowed three hits with a strikeout. Kaci Smith finished the game with three innings in relief and two strikeouts.

The Lady Raiders got one run in the second inning before getting three in the third to widen the score.

Menz started the third with a walk and Landles did the same. With one out, Taylor singled to score Menz.

Landles scored on a double by Eftink and Taylor crossed for the third run of the inning on a Tabitha Martin single that made it 4-0.

Three Rivers added three runs in the seventh inning to cement the score at 7-0.