By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
With longtime starting pitcher Jade Schultz sidelined for the season with knee injuries, the NRHEG softball team knew it would have to pick it up at least one notch to compete this spring.
The Panthers did it in the season opener against Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Monday, April 8, defeating the Bulldogs 9-4 in a Gopher Conference game.
“The girls played well for the first day out,” said coach Wendy Schultz. “We still have plenty of things we’ll be trying to improve upon throughout the season.”
Ninth-grader Anna Lundberg pitched a strong game for NRHEG, allowing three earned runs on six hits, with eight strikeouts and three walks.
“Anna did a spectacular job pitching today,” said Schultz. “She looked very poised. Her catcher (and older sister) Hannah Lundberg did a great job behind the plate.”The game was close through three innings, with each squad scoring in the first and the Panthers adding two in the third. NRHEG broke it open with three runs in the fourth, adding three in the sixth.
The Panthers totaled nine hits, led by Anna Stork who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, two runs scored and three stolen bases. Hannah Lundberg was 2-for-4 with a triple, three runs, one RBI and two stolen bases. McKenna Thiele went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Alyssa Esplan, Tara Simon and Kelli Harrington had one hit apiece, with Esplan scoring twice, driving in a run and stealing three bases. Harrington also knocked in a run.
“Offensively, I thought we did pretty well,” said Schultz.
Defensively, Harrington had the play of the day, ending the game nailing a JWP baserunner at the plate with a perfect throw from center field.
The Panthers were rained or snowed out the rest of the week. They were scheduled to play Monday, April 15 at Randolph and are slated to host WEM Thursday, April 18.