CRESTON, IOWA -- After a 12-1 defeat in the first game of a doubleheader with Southwestern CC, the Ellsworth Panthers took a 2-1 lead into the bottom of the 6th inning of the nightcap, but ECC couldn't hold the advantage and lost game two, 3-2.

Southwestern used a pair of 6-run innings -- in the 2nd and the 4th -- to score all their runs in the opener.  Ellsworth was held to just 3 hits, all singles.  One of the hits was by Madeline Myer, which knocked in Marleigh Sykes, who had singled.  Katie DeMaio had the other hit for the Panthers.  Saige Keller started in the circle and went 3 innings.  Jocelyn Hartley struck out 2 in her inning of relief.

In the second game, ECC took an early 1-0 lead in the 1st, SWCC tied the score in the 4th, and Ellsworth went back on top in the 6th.  But the Spartans 2 runs in the bottom of the 6th allowed SWCC to come from behind for the victory.  Maddy Harding had a solo home run and 2 singles for the Panthers.  Myer notched the other RBI.  Gracie Pierce and Kierstyn Sutton had singles.  Taryn Cory pitched well, but absorbed the loss for ECC.  She threw the first 5 1/3 innings before Lauren Brennan came on and got 2 outs.

The Panthers will play a series at NIACC this weekend.