Chanute, KS- It was a tale of two games for the Neosho County Community College softball as they returned to KJCCC action on Wednesday afternoon against Fort Scott Community College. In game one, the Panthers only mustered three hits in a 5-0 loss, but in game two, Neosho County pounded out 10 hits in a 4-1 victory. In game one, the ballgame was scoreless until the top of the fourth when the Lady Greyhounds plated three. Fort Scott tallied four straight singles before Neosho County could record an out. The visitors kept the momentum rolling into the fifth with a two-run home run to extend the lead to five. "We just couldn't get the offense going," Coach Kim Alexander said. "Defensively, we stepped up and did well." On two occasions Saige Vandiver came up with diving catches, while Tori Pulliam snagged another. "Saige had some amazing plays that save us a couple times, Alexander explained. "Torie had a great diving catch. Those were huge for us too.You miss those, they are doubles." Offensively for the Panthers, Sierra Spurlock, Kinsley Steward and Saige Vandiver were the only three players to collect a hit. Starting pitcher Abby Brickey was tagged with the loss, pitching five innings, striking out two while surrendering nine hits.
"We had a few mishaps," Alexander said. "I don't necessarily want to say pitching but kind of. We just couldn't piece some of that stuff together, but at the same time, we didn't put any offense behind her to produce her some runs." In the top of the sixth, Mary Kate Hale came in and quieted the Fort Scott bats down, but it wasn't until the second game when the bats came alive for the Panthers. "We just needed to step up and hit the ball," Alexander said of game one. That's exactly what they did. With the game tied at one after two and a half innings, Katelynn Stucky came up with big with a two-run bomb to put the Panthers up 3-1. Two innings later, a hard hit by Ashlynn Riley went through the legs of the Fort Scott shortstop, driving in Neosho County's final run of the game. "That was huge right there," Alexander said. "Then at the Ashlynn Riley came up big with a two-out hit, scoring a run. That was also huge."
In all, the Panthers collected 10 hits – three from Taylor McGuire and two from Vandiver, Stewart and Stucky. Libby Horton added the other hit. "All in all, offensively, not 100 percent that I know we can have, but we still did some good things," Alexander said. Meanwhile, the Neosho County pitchers – Kaelee Escoe and Hale – combined to only give up three hits.
"Kaelee comes in and does well. I just think she got a little frazzled in her head a little bit," Alexander said. "Mary Kate came in game one well, and she came back in game two and did a good job." "They complement each other so well," Assistant Coach Samantha Allen added.
    The Panthers (7-13 overall and 2-4 in the KJCCC) face a busy weekend, hosting Independence Community College (1-31 and 0-2) at 2 pm Friday and Cowley Community College (14-11 and 5-1) on Saturday at 1 pm.
"It is a busy stretch, but I will tell you this, I think we do better on stretches than we do sitting," Alexander concluded.