Lady Panthers hold off Mark Twain, 13-8

by Mark Cheffey

The PHS girls softball team held on for a 13-8 win at Mark Twain Thursday.

The Lady Panthers (2-2) jumped out to leads of 5-1 and 9-2 before the Lady Tigers made it exiting with a six-run bottom of the fifth inning.

But, Palmyra added four in the top of the sixth to ensure the team’s second straight victory.

“We came out expecting to win big and Mark Twain took advantage of it,” said Coach Alexis Van Nostrand. “I’m proud of them for putting up runs to win, but we have to be ready to play every time we step on that field.”

Palmyra out hit Mark Twain 10-6 and also collected six walks and took advantage of nine Lady Tiger errors which led to 10 unearned runs.

Four Lady Panthers had two -hit games including Jazlin Gottman, Jansen Juette, Sophie Hoerr and Kennedy Wilson, who had the team’s only extra-base hit, a double.

Lydia Althoff started on the mound and earned the victory, but struggled, giving up  seven runs, six earned, on five hits and eight walks while striking out three.

Gottman pitched the final 2.1 innings, striking out four while giving up just one hit, a two-run homer.

The Lady Panthers were originally scheduled to play varsity and junior varsity games at home against Louisiana last Tuesday, but it was changed to a junior varsity game, which Palmyra won, 17-1.

This week, the Lady Panthers are scheduled to open Clarence Cannon Conference play, Thursday, at Monroe City.