NORFOLK, NEBRASKA -- There were 26 runs, 27 hits, five home runs and a pair of lopsided victories for the Ellsworth softball team on their trip to play Northeast (Neb.) CC on Wednesday.  The Panthers walloped the Hawks, 10-0 and 16-4, in a couple of five-inning games, ECC scoring at least two runs in eight of their 10 at-bats for the day.

The sweep allows the Panthers to even their season record at 12-12.

Delaney Vetter pitched the distance in both games -- a three-hit shutout in game one and a four-hitter in the nightcap -- to improve her season record to 7-4.

The Panthers started fast in both games.  They got a two-run single by Mya Mathes to start things in the opener and added another run later in the inning when Meghan Danielson reached on an error.  Chelsea Buck lofted a two-run homer in the 2nd and then Gintare Paskocimaite and Buck had solo home runs in the 4th.  Mathes got on on an error for a run and Buck's two-run double, scoring Lauren Abram and Kaysee Dale, ended the first-game scoring.  The 1-2-3 hitters in the ECC lineup -- Paskocimaite, Dale and Buck -- combined to go 8-for-12 with six runs scored.  Dale leads ECC in that category with 25.  Mathes had a two-hit game and knocked in three runs.

Buck slammed a three-run homer to begin the onslaught in the next game.  She ended the day with a team-leading 24 RBIs.  Ellsworth poured across eight runs in the 2nd inning on two-run singles by Gwen Hovorka and Mathes, RBI hits by Maggie Braniff and Kailey Becker, and a Chloe Roberts two-run double.  In the 4th, Buck walked with the bases loaded and Hovorka poked a single that brought in two runs.  Braniff ended the scoring with a two-run home run in the 5th, her first round-tripper of the year.  Hovorka had three hits, two runs and four RBIs.  Ally Sparks and Braniff both knocked in three runs and Roberts provided three hits.  Six different players scored twice.

The Panthers play four games at Indian Hills this weekend with doubleheaders Saturday and Sunday in Ottumwa.