Panther softball victorious in season opener

MT. PLEASANT — Mt. Pleasant Panther softball did everything it needed to against Holy Trinity Catholic on Monday night to grab its first victory of the season.

The Panthers coupled an efficient night at the plate with some stingy defense in the field to top the Crusaders 6-4.

Through the first two innings of the game, the Panthers were quick to get the bats going and just as good at not letting the Crusaders spend much time in the box.

Mt. Pleasant shut Holy Trinity down in the first inning and wasted no time putting points on the board in the bottom half.

Freshman Saige Burchett started the Panthers off right with a single. After their first out of the inning on a fly out, senior Ella McNamee delivered with an RBI double that brought Burchett home.

“I just tried to take it all in at the plate,” McNamee said. “I just tell myself I can hit the ball. I need to put my eyes on it and drive it.”

They weren’t done there though as two batters later, freshman Addison Clark nearly sent the ball over the fence and brought McNamee across home plate in the process.

Just like that the Panthers held a 2-0 advantage.

Through the second inning, both teams were sat down quickly, but the game got tighter in the third as errors plagued the Panthers.

The Crusaders put two runners on base with their first two at-bats as a single and throwing error to first put runners at second and third.

In the next at-bat, the ball was lined right back to pitcher Jolynn Martin and she was able to get the ball to third quick enough for the double play.

With just one runner at second and two outs the Panthers looked like they were going to escape danger, but an error in the next at-bat pulled the Crusaders to within one, 2-1.

A wild pitch moved the runner to third and an RBI triple followed tying the game at 2-2.

“We know we’re better than out errors,” McNamee said. “We don’t let it affect us, we just keep coming back.”

Mt. Pleasant was able to get one back in its half of the inning as a throwing error put Burchett at first and a single by Emma Starr moved her to second.

The Panther’s run came as the Crusaders tried to throw Starr out at second making it 3-2.

Holy Trinity tied the game 3-3 once again in the fourth on a one out RBI double.

In the bottom half of the fourth, Mt. Pleasant got bases loaded with a Clark single, a Kynlee White bunt and error followed by a walk from Keagyn Coleman.

But the Panthers couldn’t capitalize as they followed with a pop up to the pitcher and a ground out.

After three quick outs by the Panthers in the fifth and a line drive by McNamee, a wild throw put Clark on second and brought McNamee home.

Martin then followed with an RBI single to make it 5-3.

An inning later, the Panthers put one more on the board to make it 6-4.

Holy Trinity made some moves in the seventh as Mary Hellige drilled a home run over the left field fence to make it 6-4.

The Crusaders then put two runners on base, but a line drive in the next at-bat hit the runner at first and was called out, but runners were still sitting at first and third.

Martin delivered in the circle, forcing a ground out the seal the game.

“We just got to keep working on the little things in practice,” McNamee said. “We gotta have confidence and keep working at our at-bats and get those defensive drills down. Just taking it one step at a time, game by game.”

Clark and McNamee led the Panthers at the plate going 2-3 with two RBIs and a pair of doubles. McNamee had a pair of stolen bases as well.

Martin went 2-3 as well with a stolen base, while pitching seven innings, allowing two earned runs, along with five strikeouts.