Panthers strike early in 9-4 win

Creston’s 10th-ranked (Class 4A) softball team improved to 3-1 for the season in a 9-4 home victory over Glenwood Thursday night.

Freshman center fielder Jersey Foote had a 4-for-4 night at the plate, including an opposite field blast to right field in the second inning that rattled the scoreboard. The two-run shot, her second homer of the season, gave Creston a 4-0 lead.

“It was right down the middle, and I think I was a little late on it, which is why it went to right field,” Foote said. “It was kind of on the inside of my bat, so I wasn’t sure how it would go. Then I heard it hit the scoreboard.”

“That was a great at-bat by Jersey,” coach Mike McCabe said. “We’ve talked about not settling for the pitch if it’s not the one you really want. The first pitch to her was borderline outside, and she checked her swing. Then she got one and hit it off the scoreboard.”

Creston went ahead 6-0 in the third and 8-0 in the fourth before Glenwood scored three runs in the sixth inning to close it to 9-4.

Keely Coen went the distance in the pitching circle, allowing nine hits with five strikeouts and one walk. She helped herself offensively with three singles and an RBI.

“Keely did a nice job offensively in putting the bat on the ball,” McCabe said. “I thought she had way more life on her fastball tonight and her location was pretty good on a night with a pretty tight strike zone. Her drop ball was excellent tonight.”

Nevaeh Randall contributed two hits and an RBI in Creston’s 12-hit attack. Morgan Driskell got the scoring started with a two-out RBI single in the first inning that plated Foote.

Glenwood fell to 3-3 overall and 1-3 in the Hawkeye Ten. Creston plays its first two nonconference games Saturday in the Atlantic Tournament and it will be against good competition.

Creston won the JV game 14-2. Daile Keeler and Brooklyn McKinney each had two hits. Kennedy Lohoff and Ady Morrison combined to pitch the win.

The Panthers play Class 3A seventh-ranked Estherville-Lincoln Central at 9 a.m. and an Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton team at 11:30 a.m. that features senior pitcher Macy Emgarten who has 21 strikeouts in three games this season.