No. 9 Panthers break Bloodhounds

By Andy Krutsinger,

Mt. Pleasant News

The ninth-ranked Mt. Pleasant softball team cruised in their conference-opening doubleheader against Ft. Madison on Thursday night.

The Panthers dropped the Bloodhounds, 10-0 in the first game and 8-1 in the second game to move to 2-0 in the SEC.

Mt. Pleasant wasted no time in game one, scoring four runs in the first inning, three in the second, two in the third and one in the fourth to reach the eight-run rule after 4.5 innings.

Bailey Johnson had a great game both in the circle and at the plate. She pitched a one-hit shutout, striking out eight and walking just two, and went 2-3 with an opposite-field homer, three RBIs and a run scored.

Jackie Fraise went 2-3, including a bases-clearing triple that gave her three RBIs. She also had one run scored.

Chi Glaha was 2-3 with a double, an RBI and two runs scored. Sarah Moffett was 2-3 with a double and an RBI. Anni Liechty went 2-4 with two runs scored and Cali Liechty brought in the other RBI on a single, finishing 1-3.

The Bloodhounds hung in there early in game two. After an RBI-single by Johnson in the first inning, Ft. Madison tied the game up with a solo homer in the second and kept it tied until the bottom of the third.

The Panthers re-took the lead with two runs in the third, and tacked one on in the fourth and four in the sixth to run away with the win.

C. Liechty threw a complete game, giving up one earned run on four hits and two walks, while striking out three batters.

Johnson had another monster game, going 3-4 with a double and four RBIs. Moffett and Makayla Cam each went 1-3 with an RBI. Glaha led the team in runs scored and stolen bases, with two apiece.

After the game, coach Troy Mears talked about the high-powered Panther offense, which has scored at least eight runs in all five of their wins this year.

?One through nine we can hit the ball when we do things right,? Mears said. ?We just gotta be patient and make sure we get good pitches, and get our hands and nose to the zone. We pretty much did that in both games today.?

The Panthers (5-1, 2-0 in SEC) have a big one tonight (Friday) in Keokuk. They?ll take on the No. 13 Chiefs in a doubleheader, beginning at 5:30 p.m.