March 28, 2024

Creston swings hot bats on opening night

Creston clears fence three times in win over SW Valley

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CORNING — Creston senior Cammy Rutherford did not need long to shake off the rust on the softball diamond.

Rutherford blasted home runs to right center field and center field in consecutive innings as the Panthers cruised to a 9-2 win at Southwest Valley Monday on opening night for both teams.

Rutherford’s first drive came in the fifth. She took a pitch over the right center field fence and nearly deposited the ball in the creek that runs behind right field.

Her blast in the sixth cleared the center field fence.

Rutherford’s first round tripper renewed old feelings on the diamond.

“It felt good off the bat,” Rutherford said. “Both felt really good.”

She was back on the diamond for the first time in two seasons. She missed her sophomore season with a torn ACL and did not go out last season.

The Panthers were not finished parking the ball over the fence.

In the sixth, an unlikely Panther sent one deep into the Adams County night.

Senior Saige Rice hit what she noted was the first home run of her career at any level.

At first, she didn’t know if it was out. Then first base coach Teri Keeler saw it go out, reminding Rice to touch every base going around.

Hitting a home run was a goal of Rice’s this season.

“I told myself if I didn’t hit one this year, I was going to be pretty mad,” Rice said. “It was pretty good to hit one in the first game.”

The hot start was what Creston needed ahead of the Hawkeye 10 Conference opener tonight (Tuesday) against Glenwood - the same team the Panthers knocked off to go to the state tournament last season.

Southwest Valley coach Tara Miller credited her defense for a decent first game, but noted there was nothing they could do about the round trippers.

“Our defense played really good, especially with the minimal amount of practice they’ve had,” Miller said. “They were a lot better than last year.”

UP NEXT — Creston (1-0) hosts Glenwood tonight (Tuesday) in the Panthers Hawkeye 10 opener.

Southwest Valley (0-1) is at CAM tonight (Tuesday) in nonconference play.

Creston 10 2222 0 — 9 16 0

SW Valley 000 000 2 — 2 5 1

Visitor pitchers Cali Foglesong 10K 2BB and Chloe Hagle. Home pitcher Kiara Roberts 1K 0BB and Hailey Thomas. W — Foglesong. L— Roberts. HR — C: Cammy Rutherford 2, Saige Rice 1. 3B — none. 2B — C: Rutherford 1, Lexie Little 1. RBI — C: Rutherford 5, Rice 2, Little 1. Multiple hitters — C: Rutherford 4, Rice 3, Mattie Wheeler 2, Hagle 2, SWV: Kennedy Moore 2.

JV — Creston 13, Southwest Valley 2

Kylee LaMasters allowed just one hit and four Panthers registered multi-hit games at the Creston junior varsity team started off its season hot with a 13-2 win over Southwest Valley.

LaMasters struck out seven and walked two in picking up the win. She also bashed two hits at the plate.

A seven-run third inning was the hightlight of the game, as Creston also scored two in the first inning, three in the second and one in the fourth.

Samantha Dunphy, Braelyn Baker and Peyton Rice each had two hits for the Panthers.

Southwest Valley scored both of its runs in the first.

Kayley Myers struck out four and walked seven in the loss for the Timberwolves.