Whaley homers as Hounds split season opener

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BY PCC STAFF

MT. PLEASANT - Fort Madison broke out for 10 hits in the nightcap of a two-game split with Mt. Pleasant to open the season Monday night.

A three-run first inning courtesy of some sloppy play from the Panthers, including two errors and a passed ball on a third strike, helped the Hounds rebound from a 5-3 loss in the opener at MapleLeaf Athletic Complex.

Ivy Geerdes, Lexi Whaley, and Alyson Helmick all scored in the inning off miscues to open a 3-0 first inning lead. The Panthers would counter with one in the bottom half of the first and second innings.

Whaley would then send one over the fence to left field on a 0-1 pitch with one out in the third to extend Fort Madison's lead to 4-2. Sydni Coleman would score her second run of the game in the fourth when she came around to score on Samantha Broeker's RBI single to center. Dennis would get the next hitter to fly out to kill the threat.

Kylee Cashman (3) tracks down a pop fly in the first game of the Hounds' double-header split with Mt. Pleasant on the road Monday. Ivy Geerdes (23) steps clear of the play. Photo by Chuck Vandenberg/PCC

The Hounds went to work with two outs in the fifth. Maycee Featheringill reached on a fielder's choice and Clary Feurman was hit by a pitch moving Featheringill to second. A fielder's choice by Lauryn Helmick moved everyone up one and then Featheringill stole home for a 5-3 lead.

Emily Steffensmeier drew a walk to load the bases and Logan Johnson got plunked on a fifth pitch at full count to score Fuerman. Mt. Pleasant wouldn't score in the bottom half.

Geerdes would double to right to start the sixth inning and come around to score on a single from Whaley to set the final score at 7-3, as Dennis set the bottom of the Panther lineup down in order in the seventh.

Dennis gave up just five hits and three runs, all earned while striking out five for the win.

Whaley went 4 for 4 in the win with two RBIs. Featheringill was 2 for 4, while Logan Johnson, Steffensmeier, Geerdes, and Wondra all had hits for Fort Madison.

In the opener Neeley Rehm went the distance giving up five runs, three earned, while scattering six hits and striking out six.

Fort Madison outhit the hosts 7 to 6, but committed five errors including three in the first inning to spot the Panthers a 3-0 lead after one inning of play.

Fort Madison got a single to right from Geerdes with two outs in the 1st inning, and then Steffensmeier doubled to left in the third inning, but neither hit produced any runs for the Hounds.

It wasn't until Rehm reached on a fielding error with one out in the fifth inning and then was driven in by a Steffensmeier infield single that Fort Madison got on the board. Dalyn Wondra then hit a one hopper off the fence in dead center in the top of the fourth to drive in Steffensmeier. Kylee Cashman would single and move Wondra to third, but Geerdes ground out to second to end the threat with the Lady Hounds down 4-2.

Rehm would set the Panthers down in order in the bottom of the fifth and then get the Hounds within one when she doubled down the left field line scoring Maycee Featheringill who reached on a fielder's choice and moved into scoring position on an error. Mt. Pleasant would get Lauryn Helmick to fly out to right to end the inning down just one 4-3.

Mt. Pleasant would score an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-3 and then shut down the Hounds in the top of the seventh for the win.

Steffensmeier was 2-3 at the plate with a double and an RBI to lead Fort Madison. Cashman, Logan Johnson, Rehm, Geerdes, and Wondra all had hits for the Hounds.

athletics, fmhs, Fort Madison High School, girls sports, Lady Hounds, Mt. Pleasant, Mt. Pleasant Panthers, Panthers, Pen City Current, softball, varsity

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