Kirbyville 6th inning too much for Lady Panthers

ANAHUAC – Things were looking up for the Anahuac Lady Panthers on Tuesday night at home against Kirbyville after five innings of play, with Anahuac holding a one-run lead before things came undone late in the game.

Unfortunately, softball is a seven-inning affair, and the Lady Wildcats exploded in the sixth inning for seven runs, which was enough for an 8-5 win.

Trailing 1-0 heading to the bottom of the fifth inning, the Lady Panthers put up a couple of runs to take a short-lived lead.

Keeley Butler doubled, and with one out, Vallynn Cook doubled, moving Butler to third base. Estefani Palacios followed with a double to score Butler and Cook and Anahuac was in front 2-1.

Kirbyville then put together an inning in the sixth with a three-run triple being the big hit of the frame and the Lady Wildcats led 8-2.

The Lady Panthers answered back in the bottom half of the inning with three runs.

Jayda Granger had a run-scoring single to cut the deficit to 8-3. Butler then scored Granger with a ground ball to make it 8-4. Kaitlyn McDaniel added another run with a double and Anahuac was within 8-5.

In the seventh inning, Palacios walked to give the Lady Panthers a base runner, but that would be it as Kirbyville closed the door on the win.

Brecken Wilpitz pitched into the sixth inning for Anahuac and finished with five strikeouts. McDaniel finished things up on the mound.

Palacios led the way at the plate with two RBIs and a double and also reaching on a walk.