Lady Panthers battle through a packed schedule of games

The Mountain Grove Lady Panthers’ softball team picked up just one win in the South Central Association (SCA) Conference Tournament they hosted last Saturday.
Their lone win came against a now 4-1 Thayer team, 6-3.
Lyla Golden hit a big two-run home run in the top of the third inning and finished with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Payton O’Connor had one RBI and two runs scored while Hannah Dowden had one RBI. She also tossed six innings on the mound, giving up one earned run on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.
They opened it with a 5-3 loss to Willow Springs.
Briley Curtiss had two RBIs and one run scored while Gabby Miller added one RBI.
Dowden tossed three and two-thirds innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
In a slugfest of a third place game, Houston had a seven-run bottom of the sixth inning to rally for an 18-16 win.
Chloe Slagle had three RBIs and two runs scored; Aubrey Owens had a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored; Curtiss with three RBIs and one run scored; Dowden had two RBIs and one run scored; Aubrie Gerla had a triple, one RBI and scored twice; and O’Connor had one RBI and one run scored. Mountain Grove’s defense had six errors in the loss. O’Connor tossed four and two-thirds innings and gave up five earned runs on 10 hits with three strikeouts and three walks. Dowden gave up five earned runs on three hits and two walks in one and a third innings of work.
With the tournament, the Lady Panthers are 3-4 as they have already played seven games.
The Lady Panthers also had a pair of 12-1 victories three days apart.
The first coming over Lighthouse Christian, 12-1, after the Lady Chargers made errors.
O’Connor had three RBIs and two runs scored; Curtiss had two RBIs and one run scored; Slagle added one RBI and three scores; Golden had one RBI and two runs scored; Miller scored three times; and Gerla had one RBI and one run scored. Dowden tossed five innings and gave up one earned run on two hits with eight strikeouts and one walk.
The other 12-1 win came in Koshkonong after a six-run top of the fifth inning.
Miller hit an inside-the-park home run and Golden hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning.
Miller went on to have one RBI and scored three times while Golden had one RBI and scored twice. Slagle, Curtiss and Gerla all had one RBI and one run scored.
Mountain Grove also had a 4-3 loss to Van Buren as the Lady Bulldogs scored two runs in their final at-bat before Mountain Grove could not complete a rally though they did get one run in their last at-bat.
O’Connor had one RBI and Miller scored twice.
Dowden tossed seven innings and gave up two earned runs on nine hits with six strikeouts.
The Lady Panthers opened their season with a 17-0 loss to Mt. Vernon after the offense had just one hit.