Softball | 3/2/2022 11:33:00 AM

Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 NEOSHO, MO. (March 1, 2022) – The Panthers weren't able to hold on to collect the wins against the opposing Crowder College. While competing in two close games, it came down to crucial plays on the defense and timely hitting; the Panthers were stymied in the end as the Roughriders came out on top. The Panthers are now 5-4 on the season.
 
GAME ONE: Neosho 1, Crowder 2
The Panthers kept the game close, until the very end when Crowder pulled away with the 2 -1 victory. Once again the pitching from Cassidy Paulson kept the Panthers in the game despite any other mishaps that might have led to their downfall. 
 
Crowder College got on the board in the first inning, with a 2 out hit-by-pitch who came around to score off a double by Cassidy Lear. 
 
In the sixth, the Panthers tied it up with a single by Espy Daniels, followed by a double down the left field line by Hannah Duin, scoring Daniels.
 
Crowder answered back scoring another in the bottom of the sixth, to go ahead, 2-1. The Panthers led off with Cassidy Paulson reaching on an error to the shortstop but weren't able to bring her around to tie it back up in the seventh.
 
GAME TWO: Neosho 2, Crowder 4
In a similar fashion to game 1, Olivia Cummings pitched a great game to keep it close to allow her offense the opportunity to score. 
 
Despite out-hitting the Roughriders seven to four, the Panthers fell behind early and were unable to bounce back. Of the seven hits, Cassidy Paulson and Devynn Raile each racked up multiple hits for the Panthers, with Paulson accounting for one of their two runs. 
 
Threatening multiple times in the game with runners in scoring position, the clean defense of Crowder College kept the Panthers too off balance to string together hits in the seventh to make the comeback.