Panthers top Winfield-Mount Union 15-12

WINFIELD ? The top-third of the Pekin softball team?s lineup continued its torrid pace from the plate and the Panthers won their second game in a row, beating Winfield-Mount Union 15-12 on Thursday.

Maranda Baker, Leslie Stone and Cheyann Lankford all went 3 for 5 from the plate Thursday as each continues to hit above .400 on the season.

?People don?t want to pitch to the three of them right now,? said Pekin head coach Bryan Marlay. ?They?re hitting the ball all over the place. ... We can do some damage with those top three.?

Baker finished with three extra base hits, including two doubles and a triple, along with four RBI and three runs scored. Stone cleared the fence and whacked a double for three RBI, and Lankford knocked in one run and scored three times.

Stone also tossed seven innings of nine-hit ball for her 10th win of the season. The junior, who is 10-8 in 2012, was tagged with six earned runs and struck out eight. Stone has 97 strikeouts on the year.

The Wolves opened up the contest holding a 7-3 advantage following two frames. Pekin narrowed the deficit to two after three innings, and a seven-run fourth handed them the lead for good. Pekin and Winfield-Mount Union committed six errors apiece in what Marlay described as an ?adventure? of a game.

Also for the Panthers, Paige Jensen finished 1 for 3 with a two-bagger and three RBI, and Brandi Millikin and Kelsey Molkenthin had the team?s other two hits. Maleaha Earnest crossed home plate three times and freshman Madelyn Baker scored twice.

Pekin (11-8, 6-5 SEISC north) enters its midseason ?break? with a team trip to the Woodward-Granger Tournament Saturday. The Panthers open tournament play against Panorama at 10 a.m., play Saydel at noon and conclude the tourney against host Woodward-Granger at 2 p.m.

Pekin @ Winfield-Mount Union

Pekin ? 3 0 2 7 1 0 2 ? 15 12 6

Winfield ? 1 6 0 3 2 0 0 ? 12 9 6

PEKIN ? Maranda Baker 3-5, 2(2B), 3B, 4RBI, 3R; Stone 3-5, 2B, HR, 3RBI, R; Lankford 3-5, RBI, 3R; Jensen 1-3, 2B, 3RBI, R; Millikin 1-4, RBI; Molkenthin 1-4, R; Earnest 3R; Madelyn Baker 2R; Spilman R

Pitching ? Stone (W, 10-8) 7 INN, 12R, 6ER, 9H, 5BB, 8K