Panther softball players need to cut down errors

Panther softball players need to cut down errors

Oct. 7, 2000

STAFF REPORT

The Panthers slipped below the .500 mark for the first time this season on the prep softball diamond. They hosted Grand Junction High and lost 11-5 but won 5-1 on Sept. 29 and then hosted Central of Grand Junction and fell 12-1 and 9-6. Their record dropped to 6-9 overall.

"We need to win the next four ball games if we want to get a good seed in the District Tournament," MCHS head coach Charlie Rosenbaugh said. The Panthers faced Palisade Friday, Oct. 6, and will play Rifle for a twin bill beginning at noon today, Oct. 7, at Kronkright Field in Grand Junction.

Montezuma-Cortez High School has been forced to play without senior pitcher-first baseman Stacey Pottorff who suffered a broken thumb (on her throwing hand) during a game a couple weeks ago.

"This team is a good ball team. We are just experiencing too many errors and with the loss of Pottorff, it has hurt us," he added.

Cortez outhit the Tigers in the first game 7-6. However, the Panthers had trouble defensively, making 11 errors. Jentri Giesler did a good job on the mound by yielding only those six hits, but mistakes behind her cost the team.

Grand Junction had an unearned run in the first inning and one in the second as well which hurt Cortez. Grand Junction also scored three times in the fifth when it capitalized on errors and wild pitches. Three walked batters also didn’t help matters.

Cortez scored a run in the first inning when Ashleigh Wilson rapped a single. Linda Smart singled and Brook Twilley singled to score Wilson. In the third, Michelle Davis reached base on a fielder’s choice. Stacy Martinez doubled and both later scored on wild pitches. The Panthers also added two more in the fifth when Martinez scored on an error and Smart knocked in Jena Thompson with a single.

The Panthers had a much better game in the nightcap. Thompson picked up the win on the mound after allowing only one run and giving up just three hits. She faced 27 batters, struck out two, and allowed no walks. Cortez outhit GJHS 6-3.

Cortez drew first blood in the third when Twilley reached first on an error. Thompson sent her to third with a double. Twilley then stole home on a double steal play. MCHS scored in the fifth when Giesler singled, Twilley walked, Thompson sacrificed and Smart drove both Giesler and Twilley home. MCHS pushed another run over in the sixth when Davis cracked a double and later scored on a passed ball. In the seventh, Wilson went all the way to second on an error. Christina Schaak brought her all the way to third and Wilson scored on a passed ball.

Grand Junction’s only run came in the seventh after a player slapped a single and later scored on an error.

Central banged 15 hits while the Panthers managed five. But defensive lapses hurt Cortez as it committed 10 errors.

Cortez’ only run in the game came in the fourth inning when Twilley singled and Schaak tripled her home.

Again, the Panther made critical mistakes in the nightcap. The Panthers made five errors. Offensively, though, they hit the ball well with 12. Cortez led 6-2 and then fell apart in the fifth inning.

Cortez scored twice in the first inning when Thompson tripled and Smart tripled her home and later scored on an error. MCHS scored four times in the third to go up 6-2. Thompson, Wilson, Smart and Giesler all had hits during the rally. And then the wheel fell off for Cortez.

"There were a lot of mental errors. Central got four of their eight hits in the fifth. I don’t even know what to say about that inning. We had the ball game. Bases were loaded with one out, but instead of getting the outs, we threw the ball around. There’s not much to say," Rosenbaugh commented.

He said that Cortez will get through this little slump.

"This is a good bunch of ball players and I don’t think they really know how good they can be. We can get through this and take districts if we jsut leave the mental (and physical) at home. I still have great hopes for these girls to go to state," Rosenbaugh remarked.