Clutch hits lift Panthers past WACO

WAYLAND ? A pair of seniors stepped up to the plate with clutch two-out base knocks to lift Pekin past WACO in Southeast Iowa Superconference softball Tuesday.

Paige Jensen and Brandi Millikin smacked back-to-back RBI-singles in the top of the seventh inning as Pekin left Wayland with a 5-3 victory and its sixth straight in conference play.

In addition to the two pivotal insurance runs, another senior, Kelsey Molkenthin, sacrificed home Millikin for the go-ahead run one inning earlier to put Pekin up for good, 3-2.

?We came out with some big key hits when we needed them,? Pekin head coach Bryan Marlay said. ?Those were huge contributions in a game full of them.?

Jensen finished 2 for 4 with a pair of RBI, and Millikin went 2 for 4 with a two-bagger and RBI. Leslie Stone was 2 for 3, Molkenthin was 1 for 3 with an RBI, Caylee Johnson doubled and Maranda Baker smoked a triple.

Despite the clutch hits, however, Marlay said his Panthers won the game not through offense, but through solid pitching and defense.

?We?re starting to play all aspects of the game correctly, and that?s what you need once you get to postseason tournament play,? Marlay said. ?We?re playing good, solid softball.?

From the mound, junior workhorse Stone continued to show signs of peaking at the right time and fanned a season-high 12 batters. Stone pitched all seven innings, giving up four hits and three earned runs. Her record now stands at 17-10.

?Leslie was throwing the ball real well. It was moving all over,? Marlay said. ?She pretty much dominated the game.?

The Panthers (19-11, 11-5 SEISC north), winners of eight of their last nine, will play two more north division games to help determine the top four in the conference. They play IMS Thursday and Mediapolis on Monday.

But up next, the Panthers host New London of the SEISC south today.

Pekin @ WACO

Pekin ? 1 1 0 0 0 1 2? 5 9 0

WACO ? 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 ? 3 4 3

PEKIN ? Millikin 2-4, 2B, RBI, R; Jensen 2-4, 2RBI; Stone 2-3; Molkenthin 1-3, RBI, R; Johnson 1-3, 2B; Mar. Baker 1-4, 3B; Lankford R; Gillam R; Earnest R

Pitching ? Stone (W, 17-10) 7 INN, 3R, 3ER, 4H, 12K, 4BB