The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers (1-3) came up just short of knocking off the Durango Demons (2-5) during Tuesday’s softball matchup.
Durango struck first with two runs in the top of the first inning, including a solo home run by Kelly Perry, but M-CHS’ Tayla Topaha drove in Weslie Kirks with a two-out RBI-double in the bottom half of the inning to make it 2-1 heading into the second.
The second inning was one of blunders.
Errors on both sides led to runs, with the Panthers getting the better side of it, scoring three runs and allowing one to take a 4-3 lead.
The two teams traded runs in the third inning to make it 5-4 in favor of the Panthers, but Durango went off for three more in the top of the fourth.
After plating one run, the Demons loaded the bases with no outs. But Panthers’ pitcher Abri Conklin was able to get out the jam allowing only two more, getting help from centerfielder Stevee Brenner on a stellar diving catch.
Then, in the bottom half of the inning, Conklin helped herself by driving in Kirks with an RBI-single to narrow the gap to 7-6.
Conklin and the Panthers shutout the Demons with a three-up-three-down top half of the fifth, but then left a runner stranded on third in the home half of the inning.
The Panthers allowed one run in sixth, but shut Durango out in the top half of the seventh, and they had chances to take the lead in both innings.
Kitty Wallace started out the bottom of the sixth by smashing a ball off the fence in right-center field for a double. Brenner drove in the run with a single, but then the Panthers offense stalled and they left the bases loaded.
Trailing 8-7 in the bottom of the seventh, the Panthers had the chance for a come-from-behind win. But as they did in the previous two innings, they had trouble driving in base runners, and the game ended with runners on second and third.
Topaha was 3-4 on the afternoon with one run and one RBI, and Kirks scored three times from her leadoff spot.
Although his team had opportunities to grab the win, M-CHS head coach Angelo Topaha was proud of his team’s effort.
“I think the girls handled themselves pretty well,” he said. “We made some good plays, some good defensive plays, and made some good decisions.”
Some of the wise decisions made by Panthers players were at the plate, where the team struck out only three times.
Topaha credits his players’ discipline at the plate to practice routines, where he mixes up pitch speed and location to improve the Panthers’ plate vision and they are required to run after striking out.
“They’re starting to get it,” Topaha said. “They’re starting to get comfortable and starting to see the ball.”
The Panthers’ next contest will be in the Delta Tournament this weekend. Topaha said that while he is focusing on their game against Montrose, he isn’t looking past the other teams they’ll face this weekend.