PLEASANT HILL — With four wins in the last six games the Twin Valley South softball team has a .500 overall record.
The latest victory was a close 8-7 contest Monday at Newton. The Lady Panthers led 8-1 in the top of the fifth inning but Newton rallied with five runs in the home half of the fifth and added another run in the sixth as Twin Valley South hung on for the one run win.
The Lady Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Kelsie Maggard hit a lead off double to left and stole third base. Sidnee Elswick hit a ground ball to shortstop with Maggard racing home with the first run.
Newton answered with a run in the bottom of the first. Mya Denlinger singled to right and then stole second. Layla Van Culin hit an infield single to third to score Denlinger.
TVS added three runs in the top of the fourth inning. Peyton Howard led off with a double to right. Makenzie Wise drew a one out walk and Abby Crouse reached on an error at first base that enabled Howard and Wise to score with Crouse making it all the way to third. Krystin Monroe singled to score Crouse.
The Lady Panthers added four more runs in the top of the fifth to take an 8-1 lead. Amelia Suggs hit a leadoff home run to left and Howard reached on dropped pop fly to second. Crouse hit a two out single to right with Howard advancing to third and Crouse to second on the throw back to the infield.
Howard scored on a passed ball with Crouse advancing to third. Kynlee Metzger drew a walk and stole second with Crouse scoring on the play. Monroe singled to center advancing Metzger to third.
Lexi Thompson came in to run for Monroe. Thompson stole second with Metzger scoring on the same play to put TVS up 8-1.
Newton rallied with five runs in the home half of the fifth. Hannah Williams reached on an infield error making it all the way to second. Denlinger also reached on an error making it all the way to second with Williams advancing to third.
Cori Haines hit a bunt single to third to score Williams with Denlinger advancing to third. Haines stole second and Denlinger later scored on a passed ball with Haines advancing to third. Audrey Miller drew a walk and stole second with Haines scoring and Miller advancing to third. Breanna Ingle singled to shortstop to score Miller.
Vivien Clark hit a bunt single to third with Ingle reaching third and Clark making it to second on the throw. Ingle scored on a sacrifice fly by Kaelyn Petry.
Newton got one more run in the bottom of the sixth. Hannah Williams drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Denlinger. Williams stole third and then scored on a wild pitch.
Sidnee Elswick earned the victory for TVS. She pitched five innings, surrendered seven hits, six runs (one earned) with two walks and one strike out. Hannah Thorpe pitched two innings in relief, allowed one hit, one run, with one walk, and one strike out.
Van Culin took the loss for Newton. She pitched six innings, surrendered five hits, five runs (two earned), with two walks and eight strike outs. Haines pitched one inning in relief, allowed three hits, no earned runs with one walk.
With the victory Twin Valley South improved to 5-5 overall and 1-2 in conference play. Newton fell to 5-5 and 1-2.
Reach Ron Nunnari at (937) 684-9124 or email [email protected].
