Panther softball sweeps Hounds

The Mt. Pleasant softball team took care of business on Thursday night in their first Southeast Conference doubleheader of the year. The Panthers took game one 6-4 and rolled 9-2 in game two.

Ft. Madison took an early lead in game one, plating a run in the top of the first. The Panthers came back to tie the game in the second inning when Samantha Broeker hit an RBI-double.

Trinity Krabill had the big blast of the night in the third inning. Krabill crushed a two-run hom run to left field, giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead that they would never relinquish.

Mt. Pleasant scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Ft. Madison scored one in the fifth but Mt. Pleasant added another in the sixth to go up 6-2. The Bloodhounds added two runs in the seventh inning but the Panthers hung on.

Anni Liechty went 2-3 with two RBIs and a run scored in the win. Krabill was 1-3 with a homer, two RBIs and two runs scored. Broeker and Ava Lowery each had an RBI. Lowery, Hannah Newman and Savana Walls all scored one run.

Sydni Coleman picked up the win in the circle, throwing the full seven innings. She gave up four runs 9three earned) on 11 hits and one walk, while striking out three batters.

Mt. Pleasant's offense jumped on the Hounds right away in game two. The Panthers scored two in the first, four int he second, two in the third and one in the fourth to take an early 9-0 lead. Ft. Madison once again scored two in the seventh, but it wasn't near enough.

Makayla Cam had a big game, going 2-4 with two triples, three RBIs and two runs scored. Her triples each came in the first two innings.

Krabill was 1-4 with two RBIs. Broeker went 2-4 with an RBI. Savana Walls was 1-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Coleman went 1-4 with an RBI and a run scored. Lyndi Vantiger was 1-4 with an RBI. Ava Lowery scored two runs. Walls, Kenna Smith and Alyssa Striegel each scored one run.

Liechty had a great outing in game two. She threw seven innings, giving up just two unearned runs on four hits and seven walks. She finished the night with four strikeouts.

After the game, head coach Troy Mears praised his two starters.

'They're a pretty good one-two punch,” Mears said. 'Anni throws harder, and they're not going to catch up to her as well as they do Sydni, but Sydni can place the ball about wherever you want it.”

Mears also talked about the importance of winning two early SEC games. Last season, all five SEC teams were in the hunt going in to the last two weeks of play. 'The conference is going to be tight again I'm sure,” Mears said. 'we can't let any get away, especially at home. They weren't the prettiest wins, but we did what we needed to do to get two.”

Mt. Pleasant will have almost a week's rest before their first showdown with New London. The Tigers will host the Panthers on Wednesday, June 5.