The Lady Panthers went 2-1 in a three game series against Grambling State last weekend. With the two wins, the Lady Panthers now sit behind Texas Southern in a battle for third place in the western division of the conference.
In the first game, the Panthers brought their A-game and played only five innings in their favor, tacking on eight runs to Grambling’s zero. Teamwork was the key to the win, as their offense and defense remained tight throughout the game. The Panthers came out scoring in the first inning with quick feet and swift bats brought in the first run.
Later in the third inning, the Panthers got back on track and brought in four more runs, two from a Brenda Sneed homerun. This brought the score to 5-0. In the fourth inning, the Panthers didn’t hesitate calling the game early. Smart wits brought the game to a close for the Panthers, as three hits, and three more runs sealed the win.
Pitcher Rebecca Martinez pitched a shutout as she kept the Tigers confused at the plate with nine strikeouts, no hits, and no runs. Kesha Hagerman’s three hits, three runs, and two RBIs were pivotal in the win. Christine Uribe and Sneed also had two RBIs apiece.
In the second game, Grambling regained balance capturing the win, 1-5. The Lady Panthers didn’t turn their hits into runs, and left five players on base, just short of the win. Analisa Gonzales and Bridget Coronado split pitching duties in an attempt to throw the Tigers off. The Panthers’ lone run came from an Amberly Fuller solo homerun.
In the last game, the Panthers trapped the win in dramatic fashion. Rebecca Martinez pitched another strong seven innings that kept the Tigers away from the win. A Jannell Myers RBI single put the first run on the board for the Lady Panthers. As the game continued, tight defense from both opponents left the game at a standstill until the fifth inning. As Sneed approached the plate, she lined one out to the centerfielder. What appeared to be a catch at the warning track, turned into a homerun as the Grambling centerfielder crashed into the fence, forcing the ball out of the mitt. The officials and Grambling head coach had a lengthy debate over the call, but the decision stood since the ball was not held in the field of play. With a 2-0 lead, and the momentum in their favor the Panthers were determined to bring home another win.
In the sixth inning, two Grambling back-to-back doubles put their first run of the game on the board. This rattled the Panthers, but they soon pulled it together to put the Tigers out for the inning.
The Panthers weren’t able to tack on any insurance runs, but the last inning proved to be the best. Since the game was so tight, each pitch was very important to the Panthers. The first out came from a groundout to third base, the second was from a graceful diving catch from left fielder Emily Holcombe, and the third was a routine pop fly to the center fielder ending the game.
After the win, Assistant Coaches Vernon Bland and Lana Williams said “We’re just starting to gel, we play big name schools to prepare for conference games. It might not show, but we’re much better than our record shows.” Credited with the win was Rebecca Martinez, who when talking about the win said, “When they hit the ball, our defense came through.”
The Panthers hope to keep the ball moving as conference plays continue, April 11 at 3 p.m. and April 12 at 12 p.m. against Arkansas Pine-Bluff in Pine Bluff, Ark.