NORFOLK, NEBRASKA -- The Ellsworth Panthers were 3 outs away from battling back to gain a split of their weekend series at Northeast (Neb.), but couldn't hold a late lead and wound up losing the finale of the 4-game set. ECC struggled on Friday as NCC won 10-7 and 14-1. The Panthers homered 4 times and took Saturday's opening game, 17-7, and took a 14-12 lead into the bottom of the 7th in the nightcap, before the Hawks rallied for a 15-14 victory and the series win.
The twinbill the first day saw Northeast plate 5 runs in the 1st inning of game one and they never let up. ECC came back to even the score at 5-all when they put a 5-spot on the scoreboard in the top of the 2nd inning, but NCC went on top for good with 3 runs in the bottom of the inning. Lauren Brennan homered and knocked in 5 runs for the Panthers who also got a home run from Maggie Braniff, her 1st of the year. Those two Panthers, along with Gintare Paskocimaite and Breanna Howard, had 2-hit games. Delaney Vetter took the loss in the circle. She went 4 innings and Asa Kesinger threw 2 innings in relief.
Northeast scored in all 4 of their innings in the second game. Ellsworth was held to 4 hits, all singles, 2 by Braniff and one each by Brennan and Sierra Robinson. Braniff scored the only run. The Hawks slugged 3 homers, all off starting pitcher Abbigail Harding. Lili Ruiz worked 1 2/3 innings out of the bullpen.
ECC used the long ball to start action on Saturday, their 4 homers part of an 18-hit attack, the 2nd highest hit total of the spring. Paskocimaite, Nevaeh Dice, Braniff and Lauren Abram all went deep for the Panthers. It was Abram's first of the year. Paskocimaite, Grace Gordon, Dice and Braniff had 3 hits apiece and Brennan and Abram each had 2. Abram had 6 RBIs. Vetter came back after a rough outing on Friday to get the win in the circle, striking out 7 and allowing only 5 hits. Northeast got 6 of their runs in the 5th inning, but went into that frame trailing 14-1. ECC had an 8-run 1st inning, and pushed across 3 runs in the 2nd, 3rd and 6th innings.
The Panthers' offense continued to roll in game two, scoring 4 in the 2nd and 6th, and 3 in the 5th. That meant they scored 3 or more runs in an inning 6 times on the day. And they were in position to post what would have been a satisfying win until the comeback by Northeast. ECC collected 8 hits and drew 15 walks, 3 of them by Robinson, who scored 4 times. Paskocimaite, Brennan and Abram each scored 3 runs, Dice had 5 RBIs, Meghan Danielson 3 and Paskocimaite and Gordon 2 each. Jocelyn Hartley started and threw 3 innings, Brennan went the next 2 and Cheyanne Collins finished for Ellsworth.
The Panthers have a pair of non-conference doubleheaders slated for this week -- at the Mount Mercy JV on Tuesday and at the University of Dubuque JV Thursday.