After a slow start Tuesday, the bats came alive for the Panther softball team enroute to a 12-2 victory over Dawson Boyd.
After working out of a jam in the top of the first allowing only one run, Gretchen Lanoue settled in and kept the Blackjacks off the scoreboard for the next three innings.
The Panther bats were also kept quiet to start the game, as TMB was only able to garner one hit over the first three innings. But in the fourth, the Panthers found the sweet spot — and the scoreboard.
Braelynn Kirk led off the inning with an inside-the-park home run to deep center. Rosa Vang followed it up with a single and went to second on a Blackjack error. Alli Dolan doubled to bring Vang home.
“Braelynn got us going to start the fourth, and it seemed like that sparked the team and then everyone was having good at-bats,” TMB coach Karl Campbell said.
The Blackjacks hoped to slow down the Panther offensive attack with a pitching change, but it didn’t have the effect they had hoped for.
Lanoue reached on an error, Aliyah Loftness drew a walk, and a single from Bella Martinez loaded the bases for the Panthers. Piper Freeburg then drew the second walk of the inning to bring in a run.
The Blackjacks came back with two quick outs, but the Panthers weren’t done. Kirk — at the plate for the second time in the inning — drew a walk and Vang was hit by pitch. Dolan hit a single past the second baseman to score two more runs. Lanoue reached on another DB error and Loftness drove in a run with a single.
When the dust settled at the end of the inning, the Panthers had flipped the scoreboard and with a 10-1 lead.
Dawson Boyd wasn’t ready to go home yet and battled in the fifth. Two Panther errors and a hit batter scored a run for the Blackjacks, but that’s all they could muster.
In the sixth, Kirk once again started the offense with a single. A perfect sacrifice bunt by Rosa Vang sent Kirk to second. Dolan singled again, driving in Kirk, and she moved to third on two wild pitches. Loftness walked and Dolan scored on another wild pitch to end the game, 12-2.
“I was very happy with our outfield play,” Campbell said. “Offensive started slow the first three innings; I felt like we were pressing a little and just not having quality at-bats early.”
Lanoue went all six innings, giving up two runs and five hits and striking out two. The Panthers were led at the plate by Dolan with three hits, including a double, followed by Kirk with two hits, including her home run, and Martinez with two hits.
D-B 100 010 — 2 5 3 TMB 000 (10)02 — 12 9 2 Lanoue (W) and Freeburg. 2B: Dolan, Martinez. HR: Krik. HBP: Vang. SACB: Vang.
APRIL 16: TMB 6, MCC 5
A continuing rivalry between TMB and MCC had another big moment last Thursday in Slayton when the Rebels had the tying run at third with two outs. She was left there by starting pitcher Gretchen Lanoue as the Panthers prevailed 6-5.
“It was a back-and-forth game the whole way through,”TMB coach Karl Campbell said. “It seemed like we were hitting the ball well, but it was either right at a defender or they were making great plays the first half of game. We finally strung some things together offensively in the sixth to take the lead.”
Lanoue got the win and also collected a pair of hits. Bella Martinez and Avery Torgeson also had two hits apiece. Martinez, Lanoue and Rosa Vang each scored two runs.
“It was a good game by both teams,” Campbell said. “Gretchen pitched well, and our defense played well.”
TMB 020 013 0 — 6 12 2 MCC 111 020 0 — 5 8 3 Lanoue (W) and Freeburg. 2B: Lanoue. HBP: Vang, Freeburg.
