CRESTON, IOWA -- The Ellsworth softball team got back on track with a much-needed pair of wins over Southwestern CC on Tuesday.  ECC romped to a 9-1 victory in game one and then rallied for a 5-3 win in the second game with sophomore Delaney Vetter picking up both pitching victories.

After each team scored a run in the 1st inning in the opener, Ellsworth poured across 5 runs in the 2nd and added 3 more in the 3rd and the game ended after 5 innings.  Gintare Paskocimaite slugged a pair of home runs and knocked in 4 runs, Allyson Sparks stroked 3 doubles and drove in 2 runs and Grace Gordon also had 3 hits including a double.  Paskocimaite scored 3 times, Gordon and Breanna Howard both scored twice and Howard also stole a base.  Vetter went the 5-inning distance, allowing six hits and 1 lone run and striking out 5.

ECC tallied an early run in the nightcap, but trailed 2-1 after 5 innings.  The Panthers then pushed across 2 runs in both the 6th and 7th innings and Lauren Brennan came on to save the victory for Vetter, who started and did not permit an earned run in her 5 innings of work.  She fanned 6.  Cheyanne Collins fired a scoreless inning before Brennan finished.  Ellsworth had a total of 6 hits from 6 different players.  Three of the hits were doubles, by Gordon, Lauren Abram and Maggie Braniff.  Gordon and Braniff each had 2 RBIs and Paskocimaite scored twice.

Paskocimaite's 2 home runs in the first game give her 9 for the year, 2 more than she slammed last year.

The results ended an ECC losing streak that dated back to Mar. 26.

The Panthers head to Norfolk, Neb., this weekend for doubleheaders against Northeast CC on Friday and Saturday.