Hits were plentiful and the pitching was solid over the weekend as the John A. Logan College softball team won four games, lost one and tied one at a tournament hosted by Columbia State Community College.

Pinckneyville’s Mandi Kellerman was the hitting star for the Lady Volunteers, pounding four home runs in the six games.

On Saturday, the Lady Vols opened with a 13-2 win over Southwest Tennessee. Winning pitcher was Shayly Wilce (West Frankfort), who worked the first three innings and allowed two runs on three hits. Herrin’s Micha Rotz finished the game and worked two scoreless frames.

Celci Mueller (Murphysboro) was 4-for-4 to pace the offense. Tiffany Pinnick (Fairfield) had three hits, including a three-run homer and double and drove in five runs. Rachelle Runge (Carterville) also belted three hits, including a double and scored two runs. Kellerman was 1-for-3 but drove in three runs. Hailey Stephens (Anna-Jonesboro) added a two-run double. Nicole Cheek (Pinckneyville), Jenna Cochran (Elverado) and Ragan Dunn (Carbondale) all had one hit each.

In game two, Logan crushed Dyersburg, Tenn. 10-1. Kellerman led the charge with two hits, including a homer.

Olivia Pittman (Pinckneyville) struck out eight in earning the win. Cochran recorded a save with one run allowed in two innings of work. The game was scoreless until the fifth when the Vols plated three runs and followed up with seven in the sixth.

Finally on Saturday, the Lady Vols ran roughshod over Motlow State from Alabama, 15-2. Chelsea Wallace (Du Quoin) was winning pitcher. She struck out six in four innings of work.

Kellerman hit a pair of three-run homers. Pinnick also had a homer and Rachelle Runge drove in three runs with two hits. Hanna Brindisi (Michigan) had two hits and drove in two.

On Sunday, the Vols dropped their first game of the fall season, losing to national power, Columbia State, 9-1. Pittman was pitcher of record for the Lady Vols. She went four innings. Natalie Grant (Johnston City) worked the final inning.

Cheek and Stephens each collected two hits for Logan.

The Lady Vols then sneaked past Bevill State of Alabama 4-2. Grant pitched the first inning and Wallce the final five to earn the win. Kellerman cranked yet another homer. Mueller was 2-for-4. Pinnick, Rachelle Runge, Stephens and Wilce all had one base hit.

In the final game of the tourney, Logan rallied to tie Bevill State at 6-6 thanks to some last-inning theatrics from Brandisi, who blasted a two-run homer to right center in the fifth inning as a pinch hitter for Dunn.

“If you had told me before the tournament that we would win four, lose one and tie one, I would have taken that,” said Lady Vols assistant coach Angie Jilek. “We hit the ball very well and pitched well, too, for the most part.”

Jilek said playing the better competition on Sunday should help make the team more successful down the road.

“We still have work to do – have to shore up our defense, for example. But that’s what the fall games are all about.”

The Lady Vols play in Carbondale Saturday against Division I schools, SIUC and Southeast Missouri State.