PNC Softball win the first two games of the St. Francis Tournament on walk off Homers!
It took 10 long innings for the Panthers to get their first win over the hosting St. Francis Softball team. PNC got three runs on the board in the first inning, but the Saints came right back with three of their own in the second. No one else could score as both teams had great defense and pitching.
PNC started Junior Amber Welsh who allowed only three hits and three unearned runs through four innings. Freshman Hillary Hoffman pitched the last six innings pitching six solid no hit innings.
Freshman Sam Jones ended the game in the bottom of the 10th inning with a walk off homer giving PNC the win 4-3. Jones was three for five with one run and two RBI. Senior Lindsay Gernenz also was three for five in the game while senior Megan Olson was a perfect three for three.
Game two of the day pitted PNC against the Maple Leafs of Goshen College.
The Panther softball team got eight runs on 13 hits to win the game 8-6. This time it was Hoffman hitting the two run homer in the bottom of the seventh. Hoffman had two hits in four at bats, scoring twice and three RBI's. Senior Karissa Inglis added a double and two RBI's and was two for three in the game. Jones, staying hot after the first game, was three for four with two RBI's.
PNC's starting pitcher Junior Jaci Williams allowed only three hits through five innings, giving up only two earned runs. Inglis came on in the sixth and allowed only two runs on one hit.
Hoffman ended the game with her two run homer in the bottom of the seventh. The home run was Hoffman's fifth of the year.
The Panthers improve to 17-13 on the season. PNC will return to Joliet to finish the Tournament on 3-31-12 when they will face Indiana Tech and Goshen College.
