By Timothy Kays
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
PIONEER: May 1 – The North Central Lady Eagles and the Stryker Lady Panthers settled in for a round of BBC softball under an angry May 1 sky that brought high winds, cold temperatures and even colder rain. In what would normally be expected to be an offensive freeze out, the Lady Panthers’ bats went thermonuclear in the second and third innings to shock their hosts in five innings, 13-3.
The Lady Eagles reached Stryker hurler Conner Varner for a run in the first, but their lead was short lived to say the least. The Lady Panthers exploded on North Central starter Reese Cogswell for six runs in the top of the second to take the lead for good. In the top of the third, the Lady Panthers greeted reliever Makayla Swank with another barrage of flying yellow leather. The hometown girls got a run back in the home half of the inning, but Stryker replied with a run in the top of the fourth. Needing two scores to evade the run rule, the Lady Eagles were only able to plate one, making the final score 13-3 after five innings.
Varner pitched out of trouble and never gave up the big inning for the Lady Panthers. She went five innings and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk, fanning 2.
Sierra Walters clocked a pair of doubles for Stryker, with Taylor Haines adding a pair of singles, and Varner, Connor Sullivan and Emily Cadwell each getting a base hit.
Cogswell went 1 2/3 innings for the Lady Eagles and was tagged with 6 runs, 2 earned on 3 hits, 3 passes and 2 hit batters. Swank finished the game and was reached for 7 runs, 1 earned on 6 hits, 2 walks and 2 hit batters, fanning 6.
Sabrina Pickford had a pair of singles for North Central, while Rachel Oxender, Abbey Litzenberg and Macayla Wildrick each reached with a single.
Runs / Hits / Errors
Stryker 13 – 7 – 2
North Central 3 – 5 – 4
Timothy Kays can be reached at tim@villagereporter.com