Panthers edge out Knights

North Platte Community College Softball fell to Ellsworth Community College in two games Thursday afternoon in Iowa Falls, Iowa. The scores were 20-14 and 11-6 respectively. 

That's despite the Knights outhitting Ellsworth in the first game 15-13. Taelyn Dakamas collected four hits on her own – singling in the first, second and sixth innings and doubling in the fifth. 

The Panthers captured the lead in the first inning then kept it for good following seven runs in the third. 

Dakamas toed the rubber for the Knights. The righthander allowed seven hits and 14 runs over three innings, striking out two. Angelina Lockhart threw three innings out of the bullpen. 

North Platte launched one home run on the day. Jayden Horner had a dinger in the third inning. 

Altogether, the Knights racked up 15 hits in the game. Dakamas, Cameron Rollison, Lili Kukučková, Kelsey Woodhouse and Gwen Anderson all managed multiples. 

The Knights didn't commit a single error in the field. Rollison had five chances in the field - the most on the team. 

It started to get dark and rain before the teams could finish the second game. The Knights also outhit the Panthers that time around - 11-5. 

North Platte fired up the offense in the first inning. Anderson drove in two when she singled. 

The Knights put up three runs in the fifth inning - led by Kukučková and Elena Montoya's RBIs.

Jenny Singer led things off on the rubber for NPCC. The righthander lasted two innings, allowing four hits and seven runs while striking out one. Lockhart threw two innings out of the bullpen.

 Knights collected 11 hits in the game and didn't commit a single error in the field. Woodhouse, Montoya, Kukučková and Anderson each managed multiple hits. Woodhouse went 3-for-3 at the plate to lead the team. Rollison had the most chances in the field with six. 

"We fought hard all day, we just ran out of daylight," said Janelle Higgins, NPCC head women's softball coach. "Based on the hitting, if we would have had the next two innings to bat, I think we could have won. If we play like that the rest of the year, it should be a fun year." 

The Knights will return home 1-12 on the season. 

They will have a break until next weekend when they play their first home game of the season. They're scheduled to take on Northeastern Junior College in a doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m. March 26 at the Dowhower Softball Complex in North Platte. 

The most up-to-date information about NPCC athletics can be found on the Knights Facebook and Twitter accounts and online at npccknights.com.