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Mt. Pleasant softball wins 1st game
Helling pitches gem to lead Panthers past Mid-Prairie
Andy Krutsinger
Jun. 15, 2021 10:12 pm, Updated: Jun. 16, 2021 5:59 pm
MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant softball team is officially in the winner’s column after a 4-0 victory over Mid-Prairie Tuesday night.
Mt. Pleasant’s Madison Helling pitched a complete-game shutout to lead the Panthers to their first victory under head coach Mike Beason.
“You’re just happy for the kids,” Beason said. “They deserve it.”
The night was dominated by Mt. Pleasant freshman Madison Helling, who picked up her first varsity win in the pitcher’s circle. Helling shut the Golden Hawks down for a two-hit shutout.
“It’s a lot of mental stuff,” Helling said. “A lot of taking deep breaths, believing in yourself and knowing you’ve got it.”
Mt. Pleasant scored once in the first inning when Grace Kelley delivered an RBI single to score Savana Walls. That gave Helling a 1-0 lead, one that would last until the fifth inning.
Mid-Prairie’s Myah Lugar was strong in the circle for the Golden Hawks. She kept the deficit at one run until the Panthers had their breakout inning in the fifth.
A bit of shaky defense for the Golden Hawks led to a three-run Panther fifth. Bethany Drury scored on an error. Walls scored on a double steal, and Josiah Beachy brought home Emma Starr on an RBI single.
Mid-Prairie put the bat on the ball in every at-bat in the seventh inning, but the Golden Hawks flew out each time. Kelley, the lone senior to see the field on Tuesday, made a running catch in left field to secure the victory.
After the game, Kelley talked about how important the win was for her younger teammates. Nine of the 12 Panthers who played on Tuesday were underclassmen.
“We work very hard, and it sucks to not get the outcome we want every day,” Kelley said. “It’s a young team, but they work extremely hard.”
Kelley led the Panthers at the plate, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Helling ended the game with two strikeouts and no walks, while giving up the two hits.
Mid-Prairie head coach Matt Hoeppner spoke to his own team’s youth. The Golden Hawks started six underclassmen, and he said Tuesday night’s loss was something to grow from.
“We have one senior on the team and three varsity returning players,” Hoeppner said. “This is one of those growing pain nights where you have to learn from it and get better from it.”
Just one of the four runs given up by Lugar were earned. She struck out five Panthers and walked one. Hannah Sellers and Brenna Jehle each had one hit.
Mt. Pleasant is now 1-17 on the year. Mid-Prairie fell to 3-16.
Mt. Pleasant’s Grace Kelley celebrates after making the final out of the Panthers’ 4-0 win over Mid-Prairie on Tuesday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Mid-Prairie short stop Dakota Mitchell throws out a Mt. Pleasant runner at first base during a non-conference game on Tuesday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Mt. Pleasant’s Lydia Ebeling makes a diving catch to rob Mid-Prairie of a hit on Tuesday night. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)
Mid-Prairie’s Gabi Robertson makes a catch in left field on Tuesday night in Mt. Pleasant. (Andy Krutsinger/The Union)