March 29, 2024

Creston run-rules Red Oak

RED OAK – Creston’s offense dominant in a four-inning, run-rule victory over Red Oak Thursday evening. The Panthers (14-4, 11-1 Hawkeye 10) were consistently getting bat to the ball in a 13-1 win over the Tigers (0-16, 0-9 H10).

“Just a good business like approach and win,” coach Mike McCabe said. “That’s what we talked about coming over and doing and not making the innings long defensively.”

Eight different Panthers recorded a hit in the win, paced by performances from Morgan Driskell (1-for-2, 3 RBI, HR) and Gracie Hagle (3-for-4, 2 RBI).

Hagle’s lead-off single got her across home shortly thereafter as Jersey Foote drove her in with a triple. Driskell drove Foote in with a chopper that got her out at first and Creston led 2-0 after the opening inning.

“We knew coming into this game that we were expected to be on top,” Driskell said. “We didn’t want to underestimate them in any way. We started a little slow in the first inning but that second inning we saw our bats start to pick up and everyone started to work together a little bit more.”

Creston followed up with an seven run second inning which gave the Panthers a commanding 9-0 lead.

Halle Evans singled, Fredrickson flew out, Mikkelsen singled, Sophie Hagle drove in Evans with a single, Foote was walked which loaded the bases, Nevaeh Randall cleared the bases with an RBI double, Driskell hit a two run homer, Adamson tripled and Evans drove Adamson home with a single.

“It felt pretty good off my bat,” Driskell said about her home run. “The first at bat I was way ahead of the ball. Having to adjust and get that of the yard felt pretty good.”

Taryn Fredrickson (7-1) was a force in the circle as she struck out three and allowed only one unearned run on one hit.

Red Oak’s only run, by Jaydin Lindsay, of the came in the bottom of the second inning.

Creston added three in the third and one in the fourth.

Creston won the JV game 11-5. Caitlin Bruce was 1-for-2 with an RBI double. Kennedy Lohoff pitched in the win and was 3-for-3 at the plate with a double.

Up Next

Creston will travel to Oskaloosa for two games in a Saturday tournament.

“We’ll leave early Saturday morning,” McCabe said. “We’ll look forward to that. It’s nice to step when you out of conference and challenge yourself against other people from other parts of the state.”

The Panthers face the Indians at 11 a.m. and North Butler at 2:30 p.m.

Creston trails the Creston-Oskaloosa series 1-3 since 2009, Creston fell 12-2 in 2019, 16-3 in 2017, 2-0 in 2013 and the lone on record victory was a 4-3 result at the Barney Dennis Invitational Tournament in Urbandale in 2009.

Photos from the game can be found at https://bit.ly/3zK3tLt.

Team Stats

Pitching

W: Taryn Fredrickson L: Nicole Bond

Creston

BATTING:

2B: Jersey Foote, 1. 3B: Ava Adamson, 1. HR: Morgan Driskell, 1. RBI: Morgan Driskell, 3; Nevaeh Randall, 2; Gracie Hagle, 2; Jersey Foote, 1; Halle Evans, 1; Sophie Hagle, 1.

BASERUNNING:

RUNS: Mila Kuhns, 3; Jersey Foote, 3; Gracie Hagle, 2; Nevaeh Randall, 1; Morgan Driskell, 1; Ava Adamson, 1; Halle Evans, 1; Sophie Hagle, 1. HBP: Morgan Driskell, 1.

Red Oak

BATTING: RBI: Tori Wendt, 1.

BASERUNNING:

RUNS: Jaydin Lindsay, 1.