Senior night sluggers

Six Creston seniors closed out senior night in style Tuesday night in a 14-1 victory over Greene County in a game ending in the fourth inning by the state’s mercy rule.

Greene County showed an offensive spark early with a triple by leadoff slap hitter Payton Kokenge and an RBI single by Bellah Johnson. But, from there Creston pitcher Taryn Fredrickson allowed no more hits and recorded nine outs on strikeouts in the first three innings before shortstop Mila Kuhns accounted for all three outs in the fourth, including snaring a hard line drive to her right.

Creston totaled 12 hits in three innings, including Avery Staver’s 14th of the season (second best season total in program history) in the first inning and a three-run shot by Kuhns in the third for her second homer in two days. Kuhns ended the game with four RBIs.

Jersey Foote clubbed a triple off the right field fence for one of her two RBIs. Sidney Staver, Ava Adamson, Sasha Wurster and Fredrickson each doubled for the Panthers.

Stellar senior class

Seniors honored with their parents before the game were Adamson, Foote, Fredrickson, Kuhns, Marlin and Wurster. They are part of a team that posted a 31-6 regular season record this season, and an overall mark of 119-50 in five seasons with three Hawkeye Ten championships. Creston has hit a team-record 51 home runs this season, tied with Ankeny Centennial for first place among teams in all classes through Tuesday night.

The seniors started a new senior night tradition of playing catch with a family member before the start of the game, and they presented a gift to public address announcer Todd Jacobson for his work at their home games over the years.

“It was a good way to wrap up the regular season,” Creston coach Dave Hartman said. “They killed that first hit. I thought we were going to be in a fight. Their girl has struck out 150 girls this year. We hit it up and down the lineup. We had some really good two-strike at-bats. Mila hit a home run on two strikes. Sasha got a big hit up the middle with two strikes. Jersey was hitting it well. It was a good night. I don’t think they see Taryn’s velocity very often in their schedule.”

The Panthers were constantly setting up their power hitters with opportunities, reaching base seven times on walks in addition to the 12 hits.

Kuhns and Staver said they’re both playing with more confidence during their recent hot streak.

“I’ve had a lot of teammates helping me with confidence, reminding me to tell myself that I’m good and they believe in me,” Kuhns said. “Thinking I can do it rather than psyching myself out has helped me a lot.”

After Greene County’s first nine outs of the game were all strikeouts, Kuhns suddenly got busy at shortstop in the fourth inning by snagging a hard line drive and catching a popup and soft liner for that inning’s three outs. Her defense this season has been more consistent than her injury-plagued junior campaign.

“Last year I was very hesitant and tried not to mess up,” Kuhns said. “This year I’m just playing the game and not trying to fight it.”

Table setters

Avery Staver has provided 14 home runs, seven doubles and two triples batting in the No. 2 spot in the order behind Adamson, who has eight homers, 12 doubles and three triples. Adamson is batting .451 and Staver .489.

“It’s a friendly competition between Ava and I since we’re so close in the order,” Staver said. “We’re always talking about homers or batting stats, saying you hit one, now it’s my turn. The whole team has great hitters.”

Staver and sister Sidney, who doubled Tuesday night, transferred from East Union last year. Avery said having that year of experience set the table or her big season this year.

“Last year was my first year at Creston and I was just trying to fit in,” Staver said. “This year I got more confidence being around the team and we put in a ton of practice in the offseason. We worked on hitting the ball hard.”

Postseason opener

The Panthers have a first-round regional bye before hosting the winner of Lewis Central (29-9) or Red Oak (3-23) on Saturday night. That game was scheduled Thursday night. The heavy favorite Thursday is Lewis Central, which lost 9-2 and 7-4 to Creston while finishing tied for third in the conference with Clarinda at 15-5.

“When we played them they didn’t have their best player, their shortstop, who was an all-state catcher in Florida and they still hit the ball pretty well against us at times,” Hartman said. “We’ll have to play. They do present a challenge. But Taryn has been an equalizer for us in so many situations this year. She’s about as good as anybody, so if we’re hitting it we’re pretty tough.”

Creston 14, Greene Co. 1

Greene County pitching: Alaina Heard 3K 7BB. Creston pitching: Taryn Fredrickson 9K 1BB. W — Fredrickson. L— Heard. HR — Cr: Avery Staver, Mila Kuhns. 3B — Cr: Jersey Foote. GC: Payton Kokenge. 2B — Cr: Fredrickson, Sidney Staver, Ava Adamson, Sasha Wurster. RBI — Cr: Kuhns 4, A. Staver 2, Foote 2, Adamson 1, Fredrickson 1, Evy Marlin 1, Wurster 1 GC: Bellah Johnson 1. Multiple hitters — Cr: Adamson 2, Fredrickson 2, Foote 2, Marlin 2.