10-run third inning holds up for high-scoring Eagles; TMB falls to 5-3
After a hard-fought battle against RTR Friday night, the Panthers (5-3, 2-3 in the Camden) returned home to face off against the 5-2 Lac Qui Parle Valley Eagles. The Panthers fell behind early in what could have been a shortened game. Instead, the Panthers continued to battle. However, the hard-hitting Eagles kept them at bay and secured the 18-6 victory.
Freshman Gretchen Lanoue started in the circle for the Panthers. After two quick outs, the Eagles were able to get two runners on before a double from Caleigh Conn drove in the first two runs of the game.
Neither team could get much else going until the top of the third. The Eagles sent 15 batters to the plate, with the first 10 crossing home plate behind four singles, a double, two walks, two hit by pitches and a Panther error. Melaina Ankrum relieved Lanoue and the Panthers were able to end the inning with a 6-4-3 double play.
Coach Karl Campbell knew the Eagles had some strong points that the Panthers would need to overcome.
“They are one of the better teams, well coached, their defense is solid and their bats put it in play,” Campbell said. “ But with that said, we can’t give up 18 runs because of defensive mistakes and mental mistakes and having trouble throwing strikes. We gave up a heck of a lot of runs.”
The Eagles continued their scoring in the top of the fourth, adding two more runs to take a 14-0 lead in what looked to be a scoreshortened game. Lanoue came back in to pitch in the fifth and sent the Eagles down in order.
However, the Panthers weren’t ready to go home and battled back in the bottom of the fifth.
Rosa Vang walked and Brianna Duscher followed her with a single. Kendra Timmerman’s line drive single scored Vang and Duscher. Braelynn Kirk and Lanoue added singles of their own before Aliyah Loftness and Piper Freeburg both doubled, bringing four more Panthers across the plate and taking the score to 14-6. That was all the closer the Panthers would get in this battle.
Despite the score, Campbell credited the team with not giving up in the fifth.
“There were some things that didn’t go our way early and all of a sudden you’re down 14-0 and it looks like you’re going to be done in five innings,” Campbell said. “The positive was our girls once again responded with a good solid offensive inning to keep the game going and get more at-bats. That type of resilience is what they showed on Friday to get a win against RTR, and it was something that was real positive today.”
The Eagles added one more run in the top of the sixth and three in the top of the seventh, bringing the score to 18-6. The Panthers were able to get two runners into scoring position in the bottom of the seventh but were unable to score any runs.
The Panthers had multiple batters with two hits including Kirk, Loftness, Freeburg and Duscher, as well as a single from Lanoue.
Campbell was encouraged by the at-bats the team put together despite the end score.
“There was a whole lot of them that had really good at-bats,” Campbell said. “You can’t manufacture 15 runs. You’ve got to hit the ball, move people around one batter at a time. They did that. In a lot of games, if we score six runs, we’re going to have a chance. But we dug too big of a hole, and we can’t do that, especially against a good team that’s not going to kick it around much.”
The Panthers continue their homestand today (May 1) against MACCRAY.
LQPV 20(10) 201 3 — 18 8 3 TMB 000 060 0 — 6 9 5 Lanoue, Ankrum and Freeburg. 2B: Loftness, Freeburg.
SACF: Duscher.
APRIL 25: TMB 8, RTR 5
Going up against a familiar face in the circle, the Panthers defeated RTR 8-5 last Friday.
RTR’s starting pitcher was Jaida Fricke, who open enrolled at RTR and is a member of the Knights’ softball team. The Panthers didn’t treat her very kindly, however, as they piled up 10 hits, including six extra-base hits, against the former Panther.
Meanwhile, Gretchen Lanoue held RTR in check, allowing six hits and striking out eight to earn the win.
At the plate, Melaina Ankrum had a pair of triples and scored twice from the leadoff spot, Brianna Duscher went 3-for-4 with two doubles, and Gretchen Lanoue and Braelynn Kirk both had two hits and two RBI.
“In the third inning they jumped on us good getting a 5-1 lead, and I was happy how the girls responded with a five-spot in the fourth to take the lead for good,” TMB coach Karl Campbell said. “We got a couple insurance runs in the top of the seventh, including a key double by Ary Schultz pinch hitting to drive in a run.”
TMB 100 500 2 — 8 10 2 RTR 203 000 0 — 5 6 5 Lanoue and Freeburg. 2B: Duscher (2), Kirk, Schultz. 3B: Ankrum (2).
APRIL 24: TMB 2, KMS 1
The Panther softball team played solid defense to recover from a tough sweep at the hands of Minneota/Canby with a 2-1 win over KMS on Thursday.
Gretchen Lanoue scattered four hits and struck out six to get the win. She was also 2-for-3 at the plate with two doubles and one RBI. Other Panther hits came by Piper Freeburg (2) Melaina Ankrum, Aliyah Loftness.
“Gretchen did well in the circle,” TMB coach Karl Cambpell said. “She was efficient, threw strikes and limited wild pitches and walks. She also had two doubles to lead the offense.”
The game was played in just one hour, 20 minutes, “which was good considering it is a long trip, and we were working to get this game in between rain showers,” Campbell said.
TMB 010 100 0 — 2 6 2 KMS 001 000 0 — 1 4 1 Lanoue and Freeburg. 2B: Lanoue.
