Medomak Valley softball clipped the Eagles on Friday, 5-3 in Newcastle. Kayla Vannah collected the win (11K,4H,3B), and Amelia Pennington took the loss (9H,1K,0B).
Medomak took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 3rd when Vanessa Davis reached on an error and scored on a double play attempt that saw Vannah thrown out at first. The Lady Panthers scored four runs on five singles from Kasey Benner, Jessica Koon, Vannah, Tessa Dodge and Kayla Santheson in the 5th inning.
Lincoln’s rally fell short in the home half of the 5th. Marni Jones drew a walk. Kari Jones reached on an error, but was later thrown out at the plate on an attempted steal. Amelia Pennington singled and Kassie Lincoln and Brit Kelley hit RBI singles. Medomak shut Lincoln’s bats down in order in the next two innings.
Hitting for Medomak were Dodge with a double and 3 singles, and Davis, Vannah, Santheson, Rachel Keefe and Benner with a single each. Hitting for Lincoln were Pennington, Lincoln, Kelley and Bolster with one each.
“Camden is not afraid to swing the bat. If the first pitch was a strike they were swinging,” said Medomak coach Glenn Barbour. “Buckheit had some really good punch on the ball tonight and didn’t walk anyone. We’re trying to get the girls really aggressive at the plate, to pull the trigger. When that first pitch is a strike, you’re going to get junk after that. We should never have had nine K’s We should have been putting the bat on the ball. We left a few people on tonight (six). We can’t do that.”
Medomak took a 1-0 lead in the top of the 1st inning. With two outs Santheson hit a single and scored on a Tessa Dodge double. Camden tied the score in the 4th. “It wasn’t pretty,” Barbour said.
Susie Heal reached on a dropped third strike, Chelsea Hinger reached on an error and Heather Eaton singled to load up the bases. Olivia Hamalainen drove in Hinger when she reached on an error. After three errors and the bases loaded, Santheson retired the next three batters with two strikeouts and routine grounder back to the mound to get out of the jam.
Santheson had four putouts on ground balls, and Mallory Conary five in her first game at third base. “She had some beautiful throws,” Barbour said of Conary.
Santheson scored the winning run in the 6th when she reached on a single, went to third on an outfield error and scored on a Kelsi Severson sacrifice.
Hitting for Medomak were Tessa Dodge with a double and single, and Vanessa Davis, Santheson, Kasey Benner and Danica Simmons with a single each. Eaton had the lone hit for the Windjammers.
