Errors hamper Panthers in opener

Little things led to a pair of big innings for Ames in a 12-4 softball victory at Creston in Monday’s season opener.

Miscues on stolen base attempts and rundown plays kept innings alive for the Little Cyclones on the way to building a 4-0 lead through two innings. A six-run outburst in the fifth threatened to end the game early with a 10-0 lead, but the Panther offense revived just in time to extend the game to the full seven innings in the 12-4 final.

“Little things make a big difference,” Creston coach Dave Hartman said. “We got behind 10-0 and they were all unearned. We have to catch the ball on steal plays, and we have to break early on flyballs. They did a lot of damage with two outs when we could have been out of the inning.”

The Panther offense was held in check early by Ames pitcher Sydney Smalley, who pitched a shutout for four innings. Catcher Ava Adamson nearly hit her first home run of the season in the third when her towering shot to center bounced off the top of the outfield fence and richocheted back into the outfield for a triple. Adamson was stranded on third after a popup and strikeout.

Safe calls on two rundown plays extended the fifth inning for Ames in a six-run rally to go ahead 10-0.

Facing early elimination if the score held, Creston got untracked in the bottom of the fifth with Sophie Hagle and Adamson drawing walks. A single by Mila Kuhns loaded the bases. Jersey Foote drew the team’s third walk of the inning to force in a run. Evy Marlin’s single drove in Adamson and Kuhns was thrown out trying to score on the play.

Creston scored two more runs in the seventh with a home run to left-center by Foote after Sidney Staver reached base on an error.

“I had a bad send there with two outs or we could have scored more,” Hartman said. “Down eight, I shouldn’t have sent her. We all had some mistakes tonight. We’re going to get better. We haven’t had the same girls at practice very often with the spring sports winding down and some kids have been sick. School will be getting out and we’re going to be able to practice and fix some things.”

One of the highlights in the field was a strike thrown to Adamson at the plate by Foote after fielding a single in center, which prevented an Ames run in the top of the seventh. Corner infielders Jaycee Hanson and Zoey Vandevender caught popups along the fence and Kuhns snared two tough flyballs at shortstop.

Creston finished with six hits. Pitcher Taryn Fredrickson, Avery Staver, Kuhns and Marlin each hit singles in addition to the big hits by Adamson and Foote for a triple and home run, respectively.

“I think we’re going to hit,” Hartman said. “Our pitch selection and rhythm were much better the second and third times through the order. That just comes from playing. Almost 90 percent of our issues the first time through came from swinging at bad pitches.”

Hartman said Fredrickson’s pitching performance was hampered by some of the issues in the field that extended innings. She allowed 15 hits and finished with three strikeouts and three walks.

“Taryn was good enough if we make plays,” Hartman said. “We’ll fix some of the things we did tonight and do a better job of containing the run game.”

Creston hosts Red Oak Thursday in a varsity-only game starting at 6 p.m.