(Audubon, IA) — Strong pitching in the circle was the story for both teams in Audubon, but it was excellent defense by the Logan-Magnolia Panthers which gave them the edge. Junior Chase Campbell led the Panthers in the circle allowing three hits, two runs, and five strikeouts. When asked her thoughts on the team’s performance, she said that their defense picked up after the Spartans struck first:
Campbell saw seven batters in the bottom of the first with Anna Larsen and Taryn Peterson crossing the plate, with the latter hitting an RBI one-out triple to right field. After two innings of scoreless play, it was eighth grader Ella Hack reaching first on a fielding error by Peterson at shortstop, allowing Madeline Maguire to score from second. The Panthers brought the small ball in the top of the fifth, with senior Haedyn Hall bunting and reaching first, which advanced leadoff hitter Gracyn Stone who had reached base on a hit-by-pitch. Stone was able to score on a passed ball tying the game at 2-2. Campbell retired the Spartans in order in the bottom of the fifth with two pop outs and a ground out, and said that allowing the Spartans to put the ball in play was the plan going into the game:
Two singles by Hall and Maguire in the top of 7th brought in the Panthers’ third run, and the Spartans were unable to respond. Riley Hall was in the circle for the Spartans the entire game, throwing 100 pitches and putting 68 in the strike zone, allowing six hits, one earned run, and striking out eight. Miller now holds a record of 5-5 in the circle and Campbell moves to 4-3.
Logan-Magnolia is now 4-3 on the season and travels to AHSTW in their next appearance, and the Exira-EHK-Audubon Spartans move to 5-6 and will host the IKM-Manning Wolves next.
