Minster Wildcats softball team loses to Parkway 6-2
WAPAKONETA — Missed opportunities cost the Minster Wildcats softball team in the first two innings Thursday evening as the Parkway Panthers got great pitching and defeated the Wildcats 6-2 to win the Division IV District Championship at Wapakoneta.
“We didn’t play like ourselves,” Minster head coach Robb Hemmelgarn said. “We had the bases loaded in the first inning with one out and the bases loaded in the second inning with no outs and we didn’t attack and it effected the rest of the game.
In the top of the first inning the Panthers attacked, and it paid off.
Brittyn Bruns led off with a double to left and following a walk and two strikeouts, scored on a double by Adria Miller that just got by the shortstop.
In the bottom of the first Minster had a chance to break the game open.
Rylin Trego led off with a single up the middle and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lindy Hemmelgarn and then Trego stole third. and scored on an error by the catcher. Addi Inskeep singled to center and promptly stole second. Inskeep went to third on an error. Hannah Oldiges walked and stole second and Mackala Hoskins walked to load the bases. Parkway pitcher Meg Henkle recovered and struck out Kaycie Albers and Emma Linn looking to end the inning.
It was almost the same in the second inning for the Wildcats.
Haley Albers and Reece Albers were hit by pitches and Trego drew a walk to load the bases. That is when the Panther defense came up big.
Lindy Hemmelgarn reached first on a fielder’s choice as Heley Albers was forced at home, and Reece Albers was tagged out at home trying to score. Inskeep grounded to third to end the inning.
Parkway added to their score with a pair of runs in the third inning.
With two outs, Meg Henkle doubled to left and Paige Stephenson brought her home with a double to center. Stephenson scored on a single by Adria Miller and Avery White lined out to third to end the inning.
Minster added a run of their own in the bottom of the third.
With one out, Hoskins reached on an error and went to second and third on wild pitches and scored on a double by Kaycie Albers, but Albers was tagged out trying to go to third. Linn grounds out to end the inning.
The Panthers added two more runs in the fourth inning.
Maddie Jacobs singled up the middle and went to second
on a sacrifice bunt. The score became 5-2 when Emery Temple launched a homerun to left field. Parkway added another run in the seventh inning to make the final score 6-2.
“They made the adjustments and put the bat on the ball,” Hemmelgarn said. “We threw the ball around a little bit and more than we have all year and that is what happens.”
Meg Henkle pitched the complete game victory for Parkway
giving up two runs, one earned, on five hits. She struck out two and walked six. Brooklyn Osterloh took the loss pitching three and two thirds of an innings giving up five earned runs on eight hits. She struck out four and walked three. Mackala Hoskins pitched three and a third innings giving up one unearned run on two hits. She struck out three and walked two.
Minster ends its season at 24-4, while Parkway will play in the regionals next Wednesday at Northmont.
PARKWAY 1 0 2
2 0 0 1 — 6-10-3
MINSTER 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 — 2-5-2
WP — Henkle (PKW)l LP — Osterloh (MIN)
HR — Temple (PKW)
TRPL — Louth (PKW)
DBL — Bruns, Henkle, Miller (PKW); Kaycie Albers, Reece Albers (MIN)