Girls Spring Sports: Lady Panthers turn offensive in season opener

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Pinckneyville Community High School turned offensive in its season opener against Herrin Thursday afternoon .

Collecting 13 safeties against three different Lady Tiger hurilers, PCHS cruised to a convincing 12-5 victory.

The Lady Panthers host Okawville Friday and then are set to entertain Breese Mater Dei and Red Bud as part of the annual "Panther Spring Fling" Saturday.

"Our pitching and defense need to improve," Pinckneyville coach Greg Hale said. "We have been outside for two-and-a-half weeks with only one day inside. This makes a difference."

Pinckneyville scored four times in the first inning with Emily Chapman smacking a two-run single. A pair of Herrin miscues and Taylor Cheek's basehit chased home the third and fourth runs.

Cheek added another run-scoring hit and Emily Miller chased two more runs home as Pinckneyville's lead went to 10-1 in the second inning.

Herrin slipped back to within 10-5 before Pinckneyville added its final two insurance tallies in the fourth.

Sara Malanowski (1-0) worked the first five innings for PCHS, scattering five hits while striking out two.

Chapman finished up.

At the plate, Mo Ramsey and Cheek each went 3-for-4 with Kortney Crawford and Maddy Keith adding two hits apiece.

"We only lost three starters from last year but we will be putting he pieces of the puzzle together," Hale said. "There is competition for a few positions and we will be experimenting with different line-ups."

PCHS 12, Herrin 5

Herrin 011 300 0-5 6 2

PCHS 460 200 x -12 13 2

Russel, Winn (2), Pribble (4) and Gualdoni. Malanowski (1-0), Emily Chapman (5) and Ramsey. TOP HITTERS- Herrin: Burris 2-4, Gualdoni 2-4 (2 rbi), Winn 1-4 and Chaney 1-1. PCHS: Crawford 2-3 (2b), Keith 2-4 (rbi), Ramsey 3-4 (rbi), Chapman 1-4 (2rbi), Miller 1-4 (2rbi), Cheek 3-4 (2rbi), T. Cicardi 1-4.