The conference foes combined for 5 homers as a strong northeasterly wind helped several balls get the needed distance to clear the fence. The Rocket’s Emily Black had two bombs, a two-run in the third and a three-run in the fifth.
Leah Richmond went yard for EP with a solo shot in the third and Lilly Swatos jacked a two-run dinger in the seventh.
The Panthers got out of a first inning jam as with Rocket runners on second and third with one out, starter Ayden Klendworth collected a strikeout and then induced a ground ball to second to end the inning..
In the third Leah Richmond got EP on the board first as she crushed a ball over the centerfield fence to make it 1-0. Ava Grawe followed that with a double to right center and was moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Laken Renkes. Grawe scored on a ground ball to short by Chloe Hamilton that resulted in a bad throw allowing Grawe to score and sending Hamilton to second. Wynn Renkes joined the hit parade as she hit a ball to deep center for a double. A misplayed throw to the infield resulted in Hamilton getting in a rundown and being tagged out. A ground ball out ended the frame with EP up 2-0.
With one on and out in the bottom of the third Black got a ball up in the wind and it carried over the right field fence tying the game at 2. After two were out with a runner on first the Panther defense stepped up as a single to right resulted in an out at third as Ava Grawe’s throw was cut off catching the runner in a rundown to end the inning.
The top of the fourth started with a leadoff single from Alyssah Padia. She advanced to second on a sac bunt from Isabella Olvera. A single by Klendworth put runners at the corners and resulted in a pitching change for the Rockets. Richmond was hit by a pitch to load the bases but Grawe struck out swinging and Laken Renkes hit a soft pop to short to end the Panther threat.
In the Rocket’s half of the fourth, a leadoff double was followed by a second win driven homerun to make it 4-2 Rockridge. A pair of singles put runners at the corners and a third single drove in the Rockets fifth run, to make it 5-2 Rockridge after five.
Wynn Renkes was robbed of a homerun in the top of the fifth as the Rocket’s centerfielder was able to snag the drive by reaching over the fence.
Renkes took over the pitching duties in the bottom of the fifth. After a walk, a single and a pair of strikeouts, a single drove in one and that set the stage for Black’s second homer of the game to make it 9-2 after five.
In the top of the seventh Lilly Swatos blasted a homer to center bringing in Laken Renkes who had singled for the final runs of the game.
The teams combined for 24 hits (13 RR 11 EP) with 8 going for extra bases.
Ayden Klendworth took the loss for EP going 4 innings allowing 10 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), walking 2, and striking out 2. In relief Wynn Renkes went 2 inning giving up 3 hits, 4 earned runs, walking 1 and collecting 3 Ks.
Swatos had 2 hits including a home run and drove in 2. Grawe and Wynn Renkes each had two hits with each collecting a double. EP left eight runners on base.
“The game was a dogfight from start to finish,” said EP coach Jessie Rosenow. “It was a great game to watch and an even better one to be part of, especially this early in the season. It’s always tough to come to the Ridge, but we played good, competitive softball and battled the entire way. Proud of the effort and the fight our girls showed.”
The Lady Panthers (4-3) will return home to take on Farmington in a double header on Saturday.
