Community R-6 softball likes what it can do with a lead, and it got a big one Monday.

The Lady Trojans defeated Central Activities Conference rival Cairo 9-0 at home for their biggest win over their rival and second shutout of Cairo (3-5, 0-2 CAC). Alexis Schafer recorded her third straight 15-strikeout performance by tallying 15 strikeouts, one hit and one walk in seven innings. 

The Community lead was 3-0 after three innings and then was 6-0 after a two-out rally in the fifth inning. Head coach Jeff Angel said Community (9-2, 3-0 CAC), who is ranked sixth in the first state Class 1 poll, had much hustle and were “on point” while gaining a lead early before adding to it. 

Community R-6 vs Cairo Photo Gallery

“We talked about jumping out on top first and putting pressure on them,” Angel said. “I kept telling them three is not enough. That one inning, when Alexis gave us a spark, all of a sudden we spread it to six. When you keep on building like that and keep throwing strikes, it makes our job a whole lot easier, with a lot less pressure on the defense and offense.”

That spark was Schafer reached via an error with the bases empty and two outs in the fifth inning. She took second base, and while the ball came into the fielder behind second base, she rounded the bag and dove into third base because the third baseman wasn’t covering. 

Angel said the Lady Trojans did well to follow that play. They loaded the bases and then brought those runners home via a passed ball and a two-RBI single by Macy Woodside, who was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. 

“I saw the ball was like, ‘She’s not getting it, so I might as well go,’” Schafer said. “Then I’m at second and was like ‘Nobody’s at third, so I might as well go.’ I was just hustling as fast as I could.”

Schafer threw a no-hitter during one of her starts on Saturday in the New Franklin tournament, which ended with 16 strikeouts in an 8-1 victory over conference foe Madison. She punched out 15 in a 7-1 win over another conference foe New Franklin.

To start her freshman season so well, Schafer said she has stayed consistent thanks to experience over the summer during travel ball. She said she has played with much of this Community team in junior high, so she has felt at home and knows these teammates have her back.

“I have classes with them and was friends with them at junior high,” Schafer said. “I was really close with a lot of them.”

Angel said there are no easy outs in travel ball, and this gives Schafer an “upper hand” during the fall. Pitches and games can go by opponents quickly when Schafer is pitching, but her changeup helped throw Cairo’s hitters off on Monday after he said they have been working on it. 

“It makes life a little easier,” Angel said. “We stress on getting ahead in the count. She gets ahead in the count, and we do a really good job of throwing hitters off because she’s got several pitches and she shows all of them.”

Angel said Schafer with a lead puts pressure on opponents, even a program like Cairo. Community’s rival won the conference last year and finished with a 21-6 record. 

After “nip and tuck” battles with Cairo over the years that were decided by less than a handful of runs, Angel said a win like this feels good, but there are several important games left for Community. Just this week, the Lady Trojans have three conference games and three district games scheduled. Cairo was a district win, and Westran (5-6) and Sturgeon (3-1) are two district opponents coming up on Thursday and Friday night.

“I was always tell them do not look (back),” Angel said. “We play better ahead then trying to play catch up. We’re doing a better job of putting the ball in play Nos. 1 through 9 (in the lineup).”