Neosho County softball sweeps Fort Scott, splits against Allen
An undefeated start to KJCCC softball play for the Neosho County Panthers ended on Saturday 12 games into the conference slate.
Neosho County swept Fort Scott on Thursday, 5-2, 4-2, but split on the road against Allen on Saturday. The Panthers won Game 1, 9-2, before falling in Game 2, 7-6.
In Game 1 of Thursday’s series against Fort Scott, a team that won the Region VI title and made the national tournament a year ago, Neosho County took a lead behind a two-run bomb from Annsleigh Morris in the third frame.
“She’s staying disciplined,” Neosho County interim coach Mateighia Tanner said. “She had a great freshman year, so teams know her and pitch around her. But when they come into the zone, she takes it somewhere. She’s a leader on this team and leading by example.”
Eleanor Rieck earned the win in the circle, allowing five hits and two walks while striking out six over 5.1 innings of work. Makenzi Escoe closed the door in the circle, earning the save.
“We’ll always pitch as a staff,” Tanner said. “They’re working hard. If somebody is struggling, somebody else will come in and pick them up.”
Kamri Naff, who had two hits in Game 1, earned the win as the pitcher in Game 2 for Neosho County. Naff tossed 6.2 innings — after leaving the game after the sixth inning, she re-entered the game in what would’ve been a save opportunity, but scoring rules prevent a player from earning both a win and a save in the same game.
“She kept her composure and started very well,” Tanner said. “She’s got a lot of maturity. She attacks the zone and lets the defense work behind her. We can’t give up free bases. That’s all we can ask of her.”
Chanute native Brinly Bancroft, as well as Aysha Houk, produced two hits apiece for the Panthers in Game 2.
“We’ve got confidence,” Tanner said. “We took two big wins from a team that went to the national tournament. But there’s an underlying motivation for us — we want to get Kim to her first national tournament.”
On Saturday, Neosho County dominated Game 1, outhitting Allen 13-5 while Allen committed six errors in the field.
Bancroft homered while Houk, Ryen Gaddis, Emma West and Naff all had two-hit games. Rieck got the winning decision in the circle, tossing four frames.
In Game 2, after taking a 4-1 lead through 2.5 innings, Neosho County surrendered six of the next eight runs scored as Allen mounted the comeback win.
Neosho County was charged with five errors in the field while Naff, who ate the loss in the circle, had two hits and as many RBIs.
The Panthers now sit at 11-1 in KJCCC play and 23-11 overall.
Up next
Neosho County’s schedule undoubtedly hardens in the second half of conference play. The Panthers will face Kansas City Kansas, which is tied with Neosho County for the conference lead, at home on Thursday.
“We just have to go play Neosho softball at the end of the day,” Tanner said. “I think we’re a great team. We have the pitching, the defense, the hitting. We just have to put those things together when we play tougher teams in our conference.”
