ACGC Softball Tops Panthers 5-3 With Errorless Effort

A well played game with Panorama by the ACGC softball team has moved its season record over the .500 mark for the first time. The 5-3 Charger win over the Panthers gives ACGC a 6-5 overall record and a 3-4 mark in the WCAC. Panorama fell to 2-6 in conference play and 5-8 overall.

The Chargers scored first when they put a deuce on the scoreboard in their first at bat. EmmaKay McClain reached safely on an error, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored when Mady Kelsey singled. Pinch runner Jenna Rowley also crossed home plate to give ACGC a 2-0 lead.

The Panthers picked up a run in its third at bat when Arilyan Steenblock singled, Shey Storesund walked, and Jayden Sellers drove in Steenblock with a single to centerfield.

ACGC added a run in the third inning when Jorja Hoover walked to lead off the inning. Kelsey's ground out moved Hoover to second, and she scored on a Panther error to give the home team a 3-1 lead.

Two ACGC runs in the fifth inning increased the lead to 5-1 for the Chargers. After a base hit by Fuller, bases on balls issued to Olivia Van Meter and Mercedez Richter loaded the bases. A strike out and an infield pop up left the bases loaded with two down.

When Sophie Dorsey coaxed a walk off of Panther hurler Grace Richey, it forced in a run. An error by the Panther catcher on a dropped third strike let pinch runner Paige Van Meter score and the Chargers scored its second run in the inning.

Panorama added single runs in both the sixth and seventh inning. Consecutive hits by Claire Woodworth and Jazmyn Sellers and a walk to Grace Richey loaded the bases with one out. Grace Webner's infield hit scored pinch runner Avery Bahrenfuss to make the score 5-2.

Panorama's final score was by Storesund who singled, advanced to second on a ground out, and scored on Woodworth's two out base hit to make the score 5-3. That was all the Panthers could muster and ACGC laid claim to the victory.

Both starting pitchers went the distance, with McClain picking up the win. She gave up three runs on eight hits, while walking just two Panthers and striking out one. Panorama's Richey was responsible for the five Charger runs, while giving up nine hits, walking five hitters, and recording three strike outs. The Chargers defense turned in its best performance as it did not commit an error.

McClain, Fuller, and Richter each had two hits for ACGC, while Woodworth also had a pair of hits for the Panthers. One of her hits was a double. ACGC stranded eleven runners on the base paths and Panorama left seven on board.

"This was a great team win," Charger coach Eric Van Meter said following the game. "Our defense was solid, we were patient at the plate, and had a lot of baserunners. I'm still waiting for one of the girls to step up with that big hit."

Score by inning:

Panorama 001 001 1--3 8 3

ACGC 201 020 X--5 9 0

ACGC hitting: (AB-R-H-RBI) Dorsey(3-0-1-1) McClain(4-1-2-1) Hoover(3-1-0-0) Kelsey(4-0-1-1)

Rowley(0-1-0-0) Fuller(4-1-2-0) O.Van Meter (2-0-0-0) P.Van Meter(0-1-0-0) Richter(3-0-2-1) Coffman(1-0-0-0) Carney(3-0-1-0)

ACGC pitching: (IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB) McClain(7-8-3-3-1-3)

Panorama hitting: Storesund(3-1-1-0) Jay.Sellers(4-0-1-0) Woodworth(4-0-2-0) Bahrenfuss (0-1-0-0) Jaz.Sellers(4-0-1-0) Nelson(3-0-1-0) Richey(2-0-0-0) Webner(3-0-1-0) Sloss(3-0-0-0) Steenblock(3-1-1-0)

Panorama pitching: Richey(6-9-5-3-3-5)