Panthers keep rolling

Hibriten's Bailey Goble had a simple approach as she led off the first inning of Thursday's game at West Caldwell.

“I was just trying to put it in play,” she said.

Goble did. Well, sort of.

The ball she smacked wasn't in reach of anyone and it sailed over the fence in left for her second homer of the season and the first of two on the day. Her solo bomb set the tone for the Panthers, who continued their successful season with a 17-1, five-inning win over their county rivals.

Hibriten, 10-4 overall and 8-3 in the Catawba Valley Athletic Conference, kept the heat on Bandys for the top spot among the conference's 2-A teams. Bandys is 8-2 and plays Newton-Conover today.

Panthers coach Jim Blanton was pleased with the win, although he was a bit discouraged with some first-inning miscues following Goble's home run.

“It's weird,” Blanton said. “You see somebody hit a home run and everybody else wants to do it.”

The Panthers calmed down after their two-run first, however, and scored nine runs in the second, two in the third, one in the fourth and three in the fifth.

“Right now, we're hitting the ball pretty good and putting the ball in play,” Blanton said. “(Pitcher Ashlyn) Pope seems to be getting back in a groove. My main concern right now is a couple of defensive things, not fielding but decision-making.”

The nine-run second was highlighted by a rare inside-the-park, three-run home run by Chelsea Walker. Walker, who was 2-for-2 on the day, hit a liner down the third base line that rolled into foul territory and through an open space between the outfield fence and the out-of-bounds line that parallels the base line. When the Warriors retrieved the ball, they were behind the scoreboard.

Two batters later, Goble (2-for-3) hit a ball into the gap and kept motoring for her second homer of the game.

The Panthers had 15 hits. Krista Sumpter was 3-for-3 with two doubles. Sarah Bentley had two hits, Hannah Crowe had a double and a triple came off the bat of Hannah Stephens. Pope went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.

Pope and Candace Clark combined to strike out nine and allow three hits.

West Caldwell (0-11 CVAC) got on the board in the third inning when Kelly Frost doubled to left and came in to score on a bunt by Feleshia Smith. Frost led the Warriors with a 2-for-3 effort.

The Warriors, who have just one senior, are improving said their coach, Mike Swanson. He praised their desire to keep playing and the Warriors made a few impressive defensive plays amidst some mistakes. Consistency is the goal.

“It's youth,” Swanson said. “The best thing we can try to do is keep heads up and improve each week. We do. I've not got any quitters out here.”

Hibriten is back in action Saturday at South Caldwell (3 p.m.) and Monday at Hickory (4:30 p.m.), while West returns to the field Tuesday at home against Foard (4:30 p.m.).