Talented softball teams from Pioneer and Logansport squared off in the Berries’ season opener Thursday at Fincher Field.
The Berries defeated the Panthers 5-2 in an early season showdown. It was Logan's third straight win in the series.
The 1-2 duo of Natalee Packard and Gracie Risley led the Berries both on the mound and at the plate.
Packard got the victory. The senior righthander headed to Indiana Wesleyan University held the Panthers (1-1) to two runs (one earned) on eight hits and no walks, striking out six in four-plus innings of work.
Risley, a freshman, picked up the save with three scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and no walks while striking out four.
It’s almost an embarrassment of riches of talent level in the circle for the Berries considering that sophomore Brooklynn Hagerty, who pitched the Berries to a Class 4A sectional title a year ago, didn’t even pitch as she’s nursing an early season injury. She did bat and play first base the entire game.
“Well, we’re fortunate. We’re pretty deep right now,” Logansport coach Cory Cripe said. “My intention was to split the game today and get Risley’s feet wet a little bit here. Maybe we should call her Grisley because she was bearing down today. But yeah, we’ve got three strong out there with Natalee and Gracie and Brooklyn, and so we’re fortunate we can throw any of the three out there and have a chance to win a ballgame.”
Packard and Risley also led the Berries at the plate. Packard went 3-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored. Risley went 2-for-3 with a home run, double and two runs scored.
Packard is all for the recent talent infusion that the program has enjoyed.
“It’s awesome. I love it,” she said.
She added a patient approach was the key to getting to Pioneer senior starter Katelynn Haynes, who will also be pitching in the Crossroads League in the future at Huntington University.
“She is good. You just have to know your strengths, look for your pitch when you’re hitting instead of just going up there and just trying to hit everything,” she said. “I thought it was a little rough at first, but then I feel like we got hang of it. Our timing got better with hitting. I feel like that was a big factor in it.”
Risley lined a double to left center in her first varsity at-bat to lead off the second inning. She came around to score on an RBI infield single by Teagan Wolf. Kellyn Cripe followed with a two-out RBI single to right field that gave the Berries a 2-1 lead.
In Risley’s second at-bat, she crushed a home run over the fence in right center that gave the Berries a 3-1 lead with two outs in the third.
“I didn’t think it was going over but it did,” said Risley.
She added of her varsity debut: “I was scared at first, but once I got the hang of everything, I thought I did well.”
Similar to Hagerty, Cripe said he knew he had a good player coming up with Risley before she played her first high school game.
“We’ve been watching that for a couple years now and now that I’ve got a chance to coach her, I’ve seen it in practice and so it’s just showed up. That’s kind of what I expected,” he said.
Bella Nicoles hit a triple to left center to start a rally with two outs in the fourth. Packard followed with an RBI single to left to make it 4-1.
The Berries added an insurance run in the sixth with another two-out rally. Packard doubled to left center and was brought home on an RBI single to left center by Hagerty.
Nicoles finished with two hits for the Berries. Evie Kitchel and Kate Spradling each added a hit.
The Panthers have no shortage of talent this year as well. Haynes and sophomore Lois Layer give them a formidable 1-2 punch in the circle.
“I like to keep them as fresh as possible,” Pioneer coach Gabby Thomas said. “We play ...
