For the first time this fall, the North Platte softball team lost at home when the Panthers were defeated 7-3 by Lathrop on Sept. 9.
North Platte junior Jaylin Burgess throws the ball to home plate in the Panthers home loss to Lathrop on Sept. 7.
It was a scoreless game in the first five innings when both teams were unable to finish off innings when there were runners on. The Mules struck first in the top of the sixth inning when Lathrop scored a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead.
The Panthers responded with two runs of their own when they stepped back up to the plate to tie their KCI rival 2-2 heading into the final inning. To start the bottom of the sixth inning, freshman Lindsay Ramsey had a ground-rule double and eventually rounded third to score a run when junior Jaylin Burgess had a triple.
Burgess crossed home plate to tie the Mules when Panther junior Carly Hinton hit the ball into the outfield for a double. North Platte was unable to take the lead and went back onto the field to take defense in the seventh inning.
Lathrop came up clutch in the final inning of action as the Mules poured in five runs to take a 7-2 lead over the Panthers. North Platte’s first two batters were unable to get on base, but Ramsey connected with a pitch and knocked it over the fence for a home run.
Burgess grounded out on the next at bat and the Panthers couldn’t make a late comeback against the Mules, giving Lathrop the victory. North Platte will head to West Platte on September 16 to take on the Lady Blue Jays.