Down to the Wire

ROCKFORD - The first time New Bremen and Parkway met in softball, it was a 7-5 game in favor of Parkway.

The rematch was even closer.

The Panthers scored twice in the bottom of the second and then held off a seventh-inning Cardinal rally to get a 2-1 win in the Division IV sectional final at the Panther diamond on Thursday.

Parkway (18-6) takes on Minster next Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Wapakoneta in the district semifinals. Minster won the regular season meeting 8-7 on April 15.

The Cardinals end their season at 12-13.

"We just put the ball in play," said Parkway coach Trey Stover. "We had runners on almost every inning. We just couldn't find that big hit to blow it open."

Both teams played a gem of a game, but a tough second inning was all Parkway needed to put two runs across. Gracyn Temple was hit by Alayna Ross to start the bottom of the second. Danielle Huff popped out to New Bremen's Ella Pape, who made a great diving catch in foul territory and then rose quickly to prevent Temple from trying to take second.

Kelsey Nichols grounded to the left side of the infield, but a bobble left all runners safe for Abbi Taylor, who popped up to second. The ball popped free from the glove of Emma Keller, who threw to second for the force as Temple scored. Madison Louth then dropped a perfect bunt single to allow Taylor to come home from third to make it 2-0.

"We misplayed what should have been a easy out," said Cardinals coach Gary Moeder. "But when you look up and don't see the ball, it's hard to recover."

That was all Ross would allow the rest of the way. Parkway managed four more hits in the game, but left the runners stranded as Ross struck out six and did not walk a batter.

"Alayna did a great job. Even when (Parkway) got runners in scoring position, she fought really hard," said Moeder. "I can't say enough about how well she pitched today."

Louth, who had been a reliever before moving to the starting pitching spot in early May, was spot-on against the Cardinals. Louth, who got the win in relief against the Cardinals back in April, gave up two hits in the second inning and then allowed just two baserunners over the next four innings.

"Madison pitched a great game," said Stover. "She did a great job of mixing it up. That was the key."

Louth started the seventh with a strikeout of Callie Wells and a fly out to Allison Hays. Ross, who had one of the hits in the second inning, was down to her last strike when she blooped a single to left. Pinch-hitter Grace Wilker was then hit by a pitch and Pape hit a hard shot to short, but the throw to third for the force was late to load the bases. Stover came out to talk to the infield, but Alayna Thieman was hit by a pitch on a 3-0 count to score courtesy runner Mackenzie Bornhorst to make it 2-1.

Emma Krieg stepped up and was down 1-2 before hitting a pop fly to shortstop Claire Langenkamp to end the game.

"That's the way the game was supposed to be," said Moeder. "We knew when we had the draw that this was going to be a tough game. I was hoping it would turn out the other way. Give Trey a lot of credit. He has a great team."

"I just went out and told them to relax and make a play," said Stover of the last-inning excitement. "Bases were loaded and they could just make the easy play (a force at any base). Madison's a freshman and didn't look like a freshman. She showed some great grit there."