By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
The understatement of the day came from NRHEG head softball coach Wendy Schultz.
“The girls,” she said, “hit the ball very well tonight.”
Yes, Coach, they did.
The Panthers pounded 21 hits and scored 23 earned runs in a 24-3 Gopher Conference rout at Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton Tuesday, April 30.
The win improved the Panthers to 4-1 in the Gopher Conference and 5-1 overall.
It was like batting practice for the Panthers, who delivered hit after solid hit to the outfield.They started early, putting up four runs in the top of the first, two in the second, five each and the third and fourth and eight in the fifth.
Tara Simon enjoyed a season-best day, going 4-for-4 with six RBIs and four runs scored. Among her hits were a double and an over-the-fence home run.
Anna Stork also carried a big stick. She went 5-for-5 with five RBIs, three runs and two stolen bases.
Other Panthers with a multiple-hit game were Kelly Harrington, 2-for-2 with two runs; Alyssa Esplan 2-for-3 with five runs, one RBI and one stolen base; Ryann Hagen, 2-for-3 with two doubles and three runs; and Jade Peterson, 2-for-3 with two runs.
Also contributing offensively were Hannah Lundberg, 1-for-1 with two runs and two stolen bases; Kayley Camerer 1-for-3 with a double; Torrie Stencel 1-for-1 with a run; and Remi Wayne 1-for-1.
Anna Lundberg was the winning pitcher. She did not allow an earned run through three innings, giving up three hits and one walk while striking out one. Ryann Hagen went the final two innings, allowing no hits and three walks, fanning two.
The Panthers had one error to two for the Bulldogs.
“We played well defensively,” said Schultz. “Anna pitched well.”
The Panthers ran into misfortune in the second inning when Anna’s sister, starting catcher Hannah Lundberg, injured her knee sliding into second and was not able to return. The Panthers are already without one of the state’s best players, Jade Schultz, who’s recovering from knee surgery after an injury in the state basketball tournament.
The Panthers’ Thursday game at Medford was snowed out.