Warriors collide with Panthers; run their record to 2-2 with split
Sports reporter
For the second straight double-header the Marion-Florence/Peabody-Burns Warrior softball team split two games April 4 with the competition. This time the Warriors won their first game against Nickerson 2-1, but fell in game two, 13-3, to even their record at 2-2.
Sonja Steinborn improved to 2-0 after pitching her second complete game of the season. She allowed just one hit against the Panthers in seven innings. She also recorded five strikeouts against just one walk.
"We need her on the mound," head coach Charlotte Waner said. "We are going to try and pitcher her as much as we can."
Erika Geis and Kara Holt each scored on errors in the second and fourth innings respectively, giving Steinborn just enough runs to record the victory. Geis, Lana Carroll, Allie Maddox, and Kari Tajchman had one hit apiece for MFPB, which improved to 2-1 with the victory.
With the players' classmate Casey Nelson in the hospital after suffering a head injury while practicing the pole vault, Waner knew the girls' minds were in a different place.
"They were really worried about Casey," she said. "I was surprised they came out so focused."
Game two did not turn out the way the Warriors had hoped. Four runs in the first off sophomore Valerie Hett put MFPB in a hole. Maddox knocked in a run in the bottom half of the first with a double, but in the end Nickerson pulled away with the 10-run victory.
Maddox ended the game 2-2 with one RBI and a run scored, Kristen Waner had a hit and a run, Geis scored one run, and Jandee Sharp recorded the final Warrior hit.
"After they won that first game they kind of mentally let down," Waner said.
Still Waner was glad to see her girls come out strong in the first game.
"I was really happy with the win," she said.
The Warriors' game at Hoisington Friday was canceled due to weather, and will be made up April 25. MHS took the field Tuesday at Hillsboro, and will play Friday at home against Halstead.
