The North Platte Panthers and West Platte Blue Jays got together on the softball diamond for the second time this season last Thursday, Sept. 26, with the Panthers getting the 5-2 win at home.
The Jays got two runs off of Panthers’ starter Kate Wolf in the first inning with RBI hits from Addy Hughes and Hailey Deffenbaugh. Wolf walked Morgan VanNatta, who scored on Hughes’s hit, and Deffenbaugh drove in Hughes.
West Platte senior Haley Deffenbaugh. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Sophie Grier started for West Platte and walked the leadoff hitter to start the bottom of the first inning but came back to strike out the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters before getting a ground out to end the inning.
Wolf got the first two Blue Jays’ hitters to strike out in the top of the second inning but then walked the next two hitters. Wolf struck out the next batter to get out of the inning.
North Platte junior Kate Wolf. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Grier followed suit in the bottom half of the inning by striking out the first two hitters but then walking the next two batters. Grier got the next hitter to strike out swinging on three pitches.
Wolf got herself into trouble again to start the third inning by issuing a walk and then giving up a double to put runners at second and third with no outs. Wolf got the next hitter to pop up on the infield for the first out and then got a grounder to third, and the throw home was in time to get the runner trying to score. Wolf got another grounder to shortstop to get out of the inning with no runs.
North Platte junior Morgan Ball. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
North Platte was able to get the leadoff hitter on with a single in the bottom of the third inning, but Grier came back to get the next two hitters out. An error on a throw to first base kept the inning alive with two outs and two on. A single loaded the bases, but Grier got a pop-up in foul ground that was dropped, which could have ended the inning. Morgan Ball hit a fly ball to center field that couldn’t be handled and cleared the bases to give North Platte a 3-2 lead. Grier got the next batter to strike out, but the damage was done.
A throwing error led to another run in the fourth inning, and Linny Ramsey scored after hitting a leadoff triple in the fifth inning for some insurance runs.
North Platte senior Linny Ramsey. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
Grier ends up getting the tough luck loss going six innings, giving up six hits and five runs with only one run earned. Grier walked four batters but struck out 12. Wolf goes all seven innings for North Platte, giving up two runs on five hits with six walks and six strikeouts.
West Platte junior Sophie Grier. DENNIS SHARKEY/Citizen Photo
It was the ninth win in a row for the Panthers, who have an overall record of 14-1 after the game with West Platte. The Blue Jays followed the loss with a 2-1 record on Saturday, Sept. 27, in tournament play with a 7-2 win over Savannah and a 14-3 win over Stanberry. The Jays lost to Oak Park 17-6.
