Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHANUTE, Kan. – A six run seventh inning lifted Fort Scott past Neosho 10-3 in game one of a doubleheader but the Panthers rebounded to take game two 5-4 and split the Jayhawk Conference matchup.
 
The Neosho (9-12, 5-3 Region VI) offense struggled to get anything going offensively early on as Fort Scott (3-20, 2-8 Region VI) starting pitcher Christa Merriman was perfect through four innings. Katie Todd's walk to open the fifth inning gave the Panthers their first base runner of the ballgame. Kara Linch followed with a single to the Panthers on base with no outs, but Merriman responded to strand the runners and keep the Greyhound lead at 4-0.
 
Neosho's offense finally got going in the sixth inning. After back to back singles from Amanda Rodriguez and Tiara Ewy to open the inning, the Panthers pushed their first run across on an RBI groundout from Tia Parker. After another walk to Katie Todd, Kara Linch tripled to right center to drive in a pair of runs and pull Neosho within a run at 4-3.
 
Fort Scott squashed the Neosho comeback in the top of the seventh when they plated six runs to put the game out of reach for the Panthers.
 
Game two would see Neosho jump out to an early 3-0 lead after scoring a run in the first and two more in the second. Tia Parker led off the first drawing a walk before stealing second and coming around to score on Katie Todd's RBI groundout. The Panthers plated two more runs in the second when Lexie Heiniger singled to score Anna Crawford and Kara Linch who led off the inning with back to back singles.
 
Fort Scott tied the game up with a three run third inning. Neosho starting pitcher Lexie Heiniger coaxed a fly ball to center with the bases loaded to end the inning and keep the game tied.
 
Neosho quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the third. After Ewy walked to lead off the inning she came around to score after Todd's single was misplayed in the outfield. Todd was thrown out at the plate trying to score for the first out. Breanna Meyer followed that with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Linch to put Neosho on top 5-3.
 
The Panthers would threaten in each of the next three innings, but failed to push a run across as they left a pair of runners on base in the fourth and the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth.
 
Fort Scott scored a run in the top of the seventh to make the score 5-4, but Heiniger would retire the next three Greyhound hitters to hold on for the win. It was the first start of the year in the circle for Heiniger who scattered nine hits over her 7.0 innings of work to earn the win while walking 2 and striking out 5.
 
The Panthers will travel to No. 4 Highland Community College Wednesday (Mar. 19) for a pair of games before returning home for a four game home stand this weekend. The Panthers will host Hesston College (14-2, 9-1 Region VI) Friday (Mar. 21) at 2pm and Hutchinson Community College (5-11, 4-6 Region VI) Saturday (Mar. 20) at 12pm.