New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 29, 2024

Lady Panthers edge Franklin for first softball triumph

By Alan Chamberlain | April 15, 2009 1:54 pm

Charles City’s Lady Panthers took the lead behind a five-run sixth inning and worked out of a bases loaded, no outs jam in the seventh and final frame to outlast Franklin’s invading Broncos 14-12 in Tri-Rivers District softball.

Last Wednesday’s triumph handed the hosts a 1-0 district record plus their first win of the season. Overall, Charles City improved to 1-2.

The Lady Panthers pounded out 11 hits and got the shutdown defense when they needed it in the late innings. The main difference in past seasons and the current campaign, head coach Kenneth Perrault said, is the team has bought in to the message from his coaching staff.

“They’re listening to what we’re trying to communicate to them,” he said. “This is a good group of girls. The whole team is young as we only have one senior and four juniors. But if they keep on like they are, they’ll be good.”

The Franklin contest quickly turned in to a seesaw affair with lead changes occurring almost every half-inning. Franklin jumped on top early, but Charles City rallied to take a 4-2 lead into the fourth inning.

The Broncos scored four runs on three hits in the fourth to move back in front, but the hosts battled back on a string of singles in the bottom of the frame. Jasmine Binford lined a leadoff single to right field, moved to second on an errant pickoff play, and scored on Shana Brown’s line drive single to center. With two away, Amanda Adkins singled in courtesy runner Amber Adkins, running for catcher Melinda Childress (single), to knot the affair at 6-6.

Franklin surged ahead with a two-run fifth, but Charles City answered with three runs to move in front 9-8. Logan Madison reached on an error and scored as Kari Squire’s line drive caromed off Kaylee Oliver’s glove at third and into left field. The hosts then benefited from three straight walks to force in the tying run. Stefanie Burch’s grounder, again off Oliver’s glove, drove in the go-ahead run.

With the bases loaded and no outs, the Lady Panthers were poised to increase their lead, but a rare triple play wiped out a potential big inning. Ashton Montez lined to shortstop and the Broncos were able to catch Lady Panther runners at second and third straying too far off the bags.

Franklin then scored three more runs on Rachel Sing’s bases loaded double in the sixth to go back in front 11-9. Again, the Lady Panthers rallied, scoring five runs on just one hit, but capitalizing on three Bronco errors.

Amanda Adkins and Hilary Wynn walked to start the Charles City sixth. Adkins scored on a wild pitch to cut the deficit to one. A throwing error on a Madison grounder to third enabled Wynn to race to the plate with the tying run.

An error on a grounder stroked by Binford drove in Madison to put Charles City in front to stay. Binford scored on a Burch single up the middle and Brown (walk) trotted home on an error on a ground ball off the bat of Montez.

Adkins, who went the distance in the pitcher’s circle for the winners, gave up a single to open the Franklin seventh. An error and a walk loaded the bases with none away.

The next batter, Oliver, grounded back to Adkins who elected to throw to third for a force out as a run scored to cut the gap to 14-12. Franklin had the tying run aboard, but Adkins retired the final two batters on a pop-up to Binford at second and a fly ball to Madison in center.

 

 

 

 

Franklin’s Broncos vaulted in front 3-0 in the first inning and pulled away from there on the way to a 10-2 Tri-Rivers District baseball win over Charles City’s host Panthers.

Tyler Childress’ two-run homer off Panther pitcher Jonathan Abbott highlighted the first frame for the visitors. Abbott settled down over the next two innings, but the Broncos scored twice in the fourth and added five more runs over the final two frames.

Charles City cut the Bronco lead to 5-1 in the fourth as Abbott singled to left and scored on a single stroked by Roger Williams. Dominique Williams doubled and scored in the sixth to account for the Panthers’ final run.

The hosts threatened in the seventh as Jeremy Abbott and Devin Holmes poked back-to-back singles off Bronco hurler Ryan Petrasek. With two away, Evan Adkins walked to load the bases. Petrasek uncorked a wild pitch, enabling John Graves, pinch running for Abbott, to break for home, but the pitcher covered the plate, tagging out Graves to end the game.