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NICE CUT — Senior Sailan Adair (7) takes a big cut off of a pitch during the Lady Panthers' game against Bland Friday. In her final high school softball game, Adair batted 2/4 and scored two runs, helping the Lady Panthers to a 9-6 victory. Photo by DJ Spencer
Adair, Fite score two runs each
BIRTHRIGHT — The North Hopkins Lady Panthers ended their season on a high note Friday following a 9-6 victory over the Bland Lady Tigers at Ruth Long Field. After the game was tied at 5-5 early on, the Lady Panthers outscored the Lady Tigers 4-1 the rest of the way, leading to the win.
After the game, the Lady Panthers honored their four seniors: Sailan Adair, Mariana Aguilar, Emily Garcia, and Krystal McPherson, as this would be their final high school softball game.
The Lady Tigers came to the plate first, where they faced Stevana Buchanan in the circle. The game started with a single and a pop out. After another single, another pop out and a fielder’s choice out ended their turn.
The Lady Panthers began the bottom of the first inning with Adair hitting a single, and advancing to second base on a passed ball. This was followed by Daylee Fite hitting an RBI single, bringing Adair home and giving the Lady Panthers a 1-0 lead.
After Buchanan hit a single, Hadlee Hrabal reached base on an error, and Fite managed to score, as the Lady Panthers extended their lead to 2-0. Soon after, Buchanan scored on an error, as the score now stood at 3-0.
On the next at-bat, Lucy Hernandez hit an RBI single, driving Hrabal home and building the score to 4-0. After Garcia struck out and Evie Fuentes- Perry grounded out, Aguilar would hit an RBI single, bringing Bianca Tucker, who was pinch running for Hernandez, home and making the score 5-0. The inning finally ended when McPherson grounded out.
The second inning saw the Lady Tigers load up the bases quickly following an error, a single, and a fielder’s choice where no out occurred. The next batter was hit by a pitch, bringing a runner home and trimming the score to 5-1. After this, Buchanan was pulled from the circle and relieved by Fite.
On the next at-bat, the Lady Tigers hit a 2-RBI single, cutting the score to 5-3. After a pop out, a 2-RBI double tied the score at 5-5. A pair of strikeouts immediately after ended the Lady Tigers’ turn.
The bottom of the second inning started with Adair hitting a pop fly ball for an out. Though a base runner was gained when Fite hit a single, two more outs followed as Buchanan grounded out and Hrabal hit a pop fly ball for an out, ending the second inning.
The Lady Tigers were retired in order to begin the third inning, as Fite recorded three consecutive strikeouts. The Lady Panthers were likewise retired in order during the bottom of the third inning, as Hernandez hit a pop fly ball for an out, Garcia was thrown out on a dropped third strike, and Fuentes- Perry hit a pop fly ball for an out.
The fourth inning began with a pair of strikeouts. After a single, another strikeout ended the Lady Tigers’ turn.
The bottom of the fourth started with Aguilar being walked and McPherson hitting a single. Though Adair hit a single on the next at-bat, McPherson would be tagged out at second base.
After Fite walked, Buchanan would hit an RBI single, bringing Aguilar home and putting the Lady Panthers back in the lead at 6-5. Soon after, Adair and Fite scored on a wild pitch, bringing the score to 8-5. However, two more outs followed after Hrabal grounded out and Buchanan was caught stealing third base.
The fifth inning started with a strikeout and a ground out. After the Lady Tigers hit a double, a pop out brought their turn to an end.
The bottom of the fifth stared with Hernandez swatting a solo home run, bringing the score to 9-5. However, three straight outs followed after Garcia struck out, Fuentes-Perry lined out, and Aguilar struck out.
The Lady Tigers went down in order to begin the sixth inning following a pair of strikeouts and a pop out.
The bottom of the sixth inning started with McPherson hitting a pop fly ball for an out and Adair lining out. Though the inning was kept alive when Fite hit a single, the inning ended when Buchanan grounded into a fielder’s choice, where Fite was tagged out at second base.
The seventh inning began with a ground out. After this, the Lady Tigers hit a solo home run, cutting the score to 9-6. Following a ground out, a single and an error followed. After that, a fly out ended the game, as the Lady Panthers capped off a 9-6 victory.
As a team, the Lady Panthers batted 11 for 28 (.393) from the plate. Fite finished as the leading hitter with three hits. Adair, Buchanan, and Hernandez tallied two hits each, while Aguilar and McPherson recorded one hit each.
Adair and Fite finished as the leading scorers with two runs each. Aguilar, Buchanan, Hernandez, Hrabal, and Tucker all scored one run each.
Buchanan started the game at pitcher, allowing three hits and four runs (three earned). Fite would throw the final six innings, striking out 11 batters and only conceding six hits and two earned runs, picking up the win.
With the win, the Lady Panthers end the season at 3-7 in district and 9-10 overall. They will look to improve in the off-season and make the playoffs next season.