Errors of their ways: Charles City blunders result in King William’s 12 runs in first inning

Charles City Lady Panther Kaelynn Spencer locks in on a pop fly that ends the top of the first inning.

Robb Johnson photo

The ability to make what are deemed to be routine plays has plagued Charles City’s Lady Panthers all year. That story followed suit during a May 9 Tidewater District contest against the visiting King William Lady Cavaliers.

An error-filled first inning by the hosts on defense, coupled with the ability to only get one baserunner on the paths, resulted in King William cruising to a 16-0 victory.

The Lady Panthers defense committed two errors from the onset of the game, allowing Taylor Johnson and Peyton Lewis to reach base for the visitors. Another pop up by King William resulted in another mistake by the hosts, leading to King Wiliam’s first run. Annabelle Townsend’s triple drove home two more runs for the Lady Cavaliers, propelling to a 3-0 lead.

More problems ensued for the hosts as errors continued to pile up, resulting in King William’s 12 runs in the top of the first. It would be Kaelynn Spencer’s catch that halted the damage.

At the plate, Charles City had no answer with the bats. The Lady Panthers struck out 15 times in the contest, making the game a runaway for the visitors.

After the contest, Charles City Assistant Coach Jeff Hayes spoke about the nervousness of the team at the beginning of the game.

“We had first inning jitters and we struggled to stay settled down,” he said. “We have made improvements, but we haven’t reached the level of true competitiveness yet. Rebuilding the program will take some time.

“We are losing three seniors,” Hayes continued. “But everyone else is coming back, so with some additional work in the offseason and summer, we can field a team that is going to be more competitive.”

Charles City’s Lady Panthers also fell at home in a May 11 contest against the West Point Lady Pointers, ending their 2023 season with a record of 2-14.