Panthers regain offense, exact revenge on Spartans

Palo Verde’s offense sputtered in the Panthers’ first matchup against Cimarron-Memorial’s softball team this season.

The Panthers got their revenge Tuesday.

Palo Verde scored 12 runs in the final two innings to roll to a 13-2 road win over the Spartans and stay within a half-game of Northwest League-leading Centennial.

When the teams met March 28, Cimarron ace Carrie Sheehan blanked the Panthers in a 4-0 Spartan win.

“We looked at way too many strikes the first time we faced Carrie,” Palo Verde coach Kelly Glass said. “Carrie’s a great pitcher and today we hit her great pitches.”

Melissa McCormick led the offensive uprising, going 4-for-5 and sparking the Panthers’ five-run fifth inning with a leadoff double.

With the score tied 1-1 in the top of the fifth, McCormick ripped a double into right field. The Panthers’ winning pitcher scored on double down the left field line by Rachel Williams, who later came home on a squeeze bunt by Cheryl Iddings.

The Panthers took advantage of an infield throwing error and a sacrifice fly to add three more runs and take a 6-1 advantage.

Sheehan took a sharp-hit grounder by Palo Verde’s Salina Gonzalez to her left shin and was relieved midway through the fifth inning. She stayed in the game and later relieved Alexa Snyder in the sixth inning.

Palo Verde (21-7, 10-1 Northwest) didn’t stop its offensive surge, using a two-run single and five RBI-singles to add seven runs in the top of the sixth and pull away.

“I have a great group of girls and the chemistry and camaraderie is there,” Glass said. “We’ve been through a lot this season and they keep bouncing back from what’s thrown at them.

“We’re not afraid to have fun and I know that some people don’t appreciate that approach. That’s how I coach and they appreciate that from me. We do well when we have fun.”

McCormick tossed a five-hitter and struck out 12, including downing the side on 12 pitches in the fifth inning, and was helped by a return to the field of catcher Brooke Stover, who missed the Panthers’ tournament games over Spring Break with ineligibility concerns.

“Regardless of whether your pitches are there or not, you and your catcher have to be on the same page,” McCormick said. “What Brooke and I have is that we’re always on the same page and we were just really on today.”

Angel Council and Breanna Beatty combined for six hits, three RBIs and three runs scored for Palo Verde.

Sheehan was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Cimarron (16-10, 8-4), which held onto third place in the Northwest League.