SOFTBALL: Pinckneyville's power-packed lineup too much for A-J

Pinckneyville fought off a comeback from Anna-Jonesboro and clubbed sixteen hits in just five innings for a 15-5 victory over the Lady Wildcats on the road Thursday afternoon. Both Kylee Kling and Brooklyn Morrow went deep for PCHS, and both Kearsten Opp and Mariah Clark drove in three runs.

Pinckneyville took command early, scoring five times in the top of the first inning on RBIs from Maddie Jones (triple), Morrow (ground-out), Clark (single) and Josie Gleason (single).

Kling started the top of the second with a solo homer, then Jones walked, advanced on a double by Morrow, and came in on Kearsten Opp's ground ball to make it 7-0 Lady Panthers.

But A-J had some life left in them, staging a comeback against Morrow with five runs on four hits and a pair of free passes in the bottom of the third.

Pinckneyville's offense had an answer - four more runs in the top of the fourth inning. Emma Banach singled to bring in Jones (walk), then Kearsten Opp hit a two-run double before Gleason singled for a two-out RBI and an 11-5 PCHS lead.

Clark would take over in the circle from there on out, and allowed one hit and one walk with three strikeouts in her two innings of relief in the circle for Pinckneyville.

Morrow belted her homer in the top of the fifth where the Lady Panthers put it away with a four-spot on the scoreboard.

Kling (2-4, 2 R, RBI, HR), Jones (1-2, 3 R, RBI, 3B, 2 BB), Morrow (3-4, R, 2 RBI, 2B, HR), Banach (3-4, 3 R, RBI, 2B), Kearsten Opp (2-4, 3 RBI, 2B), Clark (2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI), Gleason (2-4, 2 RBI) and Caitie Opp (1-4, R) all hit safely for Pinckneyville.

The Lady Panthers (9-1, 2-0) welcome Chester and Massac County to Greg Hale Field for Saturday games beginning at 10:00 a.m.