Pekin softball falls to Cardinal, tops IMS

The Pekin softball team experienced a little bit of everything in games against IMS and Cardinal last week.

The Panthers buried an understaffed IMS squad 18-5 on Thursday before finding themselves on the other side of the rout in a 16-2 loss to Cardinal Friday.

Thursday, Pekin?s Cheyann Lankford was 3 for 3 with a double and four runs scored, while Leslie Stone finished 1 for 2 with a homer and five runs batted in. Maranda Baker, Caylee Johnson and Ruthanne Cooley had two RBI apiece. Courtesy runner Maleaha Earnest crossed home plate three times.

From the mound, Lankford earned her first win of 2012 after pitching the final three innings in relief. Lankford allowed one run off one hit, and she struck out two IMS batters.

In Friday?s loss, Tori Davis, Stone and Baker finished with a pair of hits apiece to account for all but two of Pekin?s total hits. Stone pitched all seven innings and allowed six earned runs.

Cardinal?s Liz Nichols had three RBI on two hits, including a triple, and Sarah Greiner and Katie Conger knocked in two runs each. Laci Moore allowed one earned run to pick up the win.

In JV action, Pekin split a pair of contests Thursday, defeating IMS 9-8 and falling 7-5 to WACO.

Pekin?s varsity squad (9-6, 5-3 SEISC north) will be in action in Packwood today against Mediapolis.