Panthers take inside track to conference crown

RIVERSIDE ? In recent years, the SEISC north division title has gone through Pekin and Highland.

After beating each other on their own home fields a season ago, tenth-ranked Pekin took one big leap towards defending its conference crown duking out a 2-1 victory on the road against the Huskies Tuesday night.

?We were both 4-0 going in, and that?s the way it usually is,? said Pekin head coach Bryan Marlay. ?It?s going to come down to these close games and who can win at the other person?s place.?

Mackenzie Laux locked herself into a pitching duel with Mariah Freel, and as both flinched in the first inning, it was Laux that was rock solid the rest of the way. Each pitcher allowed just three hits, but a bunt single by Jessi Martin in the fifth gave Pekin all they needed. Martin proceeded to steal second, and as Ashley Morales sacrificed her to third, a throwing error ? Highland?s lone error of the game ? sent Martin home for what would prove to be the game winner.

Kaitlin Spilman rocked an RBI triple in the top of the first to score Mycaela Crouse and get Pekin on the board. Spilman was thrown out at home moments later trying to turn it into an inside-the-park home run.

Meanwhile, Laux dealt with the lightning-quick, slap-hitting Highland lineup that featured many speedsters who qualified five relays to the state track meet last month. The Huskies got one runner across to tie the game in the bottom of the first, but were blanked by Laux the rest of the way.

The Panthers are now winners of seven straight and improve their record to 8-1 on the year heading into another conference tilt tonight vs. IMS.