JV softball triumphed over Fayette County this past Tuesday with an 18-3 win. The Panthers battled for three innings before the mercy rule was implemented.
“In the beginning, with being such a young team, we had a good base to start. But, as games have gone on, we have started to get more comfortable and more confident up to bat and in the field,” coach Jordan Childress said. “As a team, I think we are headed in the right direction with confidence. Everybody is starting to get their feet underneath them and starting to have more fun.”
The Panthers came out with power and energy in the first inning. Starr’s Mill pitcher 8th grader Caitlyn McFall struck out two batters after giving up two runs. The Panthers scored five runs in the bottom of the first to build a 5-2 lead.
8th grader Ryleigh Hill pitched for Starr’s Mill in the 2nd inning and gave up only one run. The Panthers brought the same excitement to the bottom of the 2nd as they had in the 1st inning. They scored three runs to make the score 8-3.
After holding the Tigers in the top of the 3rd inning, the Panthers triumphed in the bottom of the inning. 8th grader Haylee Flassig led the momentum with a triple to start off their streak of hits. Starr’s Mill put up 10 runs in the bottom of the 3rd, winning the game 18-3 due to mercy rule.
“We’ve been working on fielding and batting mostly,” Flassig said. “We’ve also been working on outfielders and infielders with bunts and outsides.”
Flassig went 3-for-3 in Tuesday night’s game and made several defensive plays to protect the Panthers’ final score.
“These girls love the game because they love the game of softball not because they’re necessarily good at the game of softball,” Childress said. “It’s refreshing to be around all the positivity and just having fun at the end of the day.”
Varsity softball also defeated the Lady Tigers 18-3 on the same night. The Panthers travel to Troup County on September 12.