PINCKNEYVILLE -- The Pinckneyville Community High School Panthers softball team is the champion of the Mississippi Division in the River to River Conference this spring.
The girls can lay stake to that claim following Monday's 6-1 win over visiting Carterville.
Tha Panthers tallied three runs in the opening frame and tacked on two runs in the fifth and one final run in the sixth. The Lions could only manage a single run in the fifth inning.
With the win, the Panthers improve to 14-6 overall and 8-1 in the conference, good enough for first place.
"I thought we played really well defensively again," said PCHS head coach Alan Engelhardt. "Carterville puts a lot of pressure on you by putting the ball in play, but we handled it pretty well, including a couple of highlight reel plays from Kiya Hagene.
"Offensively, we got out on our front foot a lot, but the top of our order was good, and Aubrey Bruns had a big hit to drive in a couple, as well. We want to play in games like this where there is more on the line (a conference championship) because it is the only way we can simulate a postseason game."
Earning the win and going the distance was southpaw Taylor Witges. Witges was also solid at the dish, stroking two hits, including a double and two RBIs. She got some big help from Taylor Kurtz, who pounded out four hits and drove in a run. Bruns went 1-3 with two RBIs. Anna Hartford was 2-3 for the Lions. Tomi Boggess was credited with the loss for Carterville.
The Panthers host Johnston City today (Wednesday) and then travel to New Athens Thursday.
Both are nonconference matches.
