WEST FRANKFORT — The West Frankfort Redbirds have made a habit of rallying for wins this season, and their latest effort moved them into sole possession of first place the SIRR Ohio softball standings.

Senior Dayanara Degler’s go ahead, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning was the game winning hit as West Frankfort beat Murphysboro 10-9 in a back and forth game. The Redbirds and Red Devils entered the game as the unbeaten teams left in conference play.

After Murphysboro scored a run in the top of the first, West Frankfort grabbed a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first on Lani Wolfe’s two-run basehit.

The Red Devils then plated four runs in the top of the second. Two of those runs came home on Sarah Cook’s double, with two more scoring courtesy West Frankfort errors.

The Redbirds regained the lead with four runs of their own in the bottom of the third. Following a bases loaded hit by pitch, Aleah Russell sent a gapper into right center to score two runs and tie the game at 5-5. Murphysboro had Annabelle Hopkins hung up between third and home, but an errant throw allowed Hopkins to score as well giving West Frankfort the lead back.

The Red Devils tied the game on Ayla Smith’s RBI single in the fourth, but the Redbirds took the lead again in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI triple from Hannah Mullins. Courtney Russell followed with a single to score Mullins for an 8-6 West Frankfort lead.

Murphysboro regained the lead with three runs in the top of the sixth–two scored on a throwing error followed by another run-scoring hit from Smith to put the Red Devils up 9-8, setting the stage for Degler’s blast in the bottom half of the inning.

West Frankfort improves to 7-2, 3-0 in conference play, while Murphysboro falls to 5-4, 2-1 in the conference.