Como-Pickton justifies state ranking, stopping AG

Posted 4/22/21

The seventh-ranked team in state, the Como-Pickton Lady Eagles, came to Alba-Golden last Tuesday and stifled the Alba-Golden Lady Panthers, 8-2.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Como-Pickton justifies state ranking, stopping AG

Posted

The seventh-ranked team in state, the Como-Pickton Lady Eagles, came to Alba-Golden last Tuesday and stifled the Alba-Golden Lady Panthers, 8-2. Pitching ace Mattison Buster etched 19 strike outs in the win and contributed two home runs – including a third inning grand slam.

Buster was as accurate and fast in the seventh inning as she was in the first. Her consistency was near flawless on the night. She was indeed “in the groove.”

Of course, the Lady Panthers were not going down without a fight. After Mattison put the visitors ahead with a solo home run to right-center in the second inning, the Lady Panthers answered in the bottom half. 

With two outs, Reese Michaels reached on a walk. In a nice piece of hitting, Kylie Kennedy drove a ball to right which one-hopped to the fence, scoring Michaels, and giving Kennedy a stand-up double.  Sara Hodges drew a walk and Rylee Wilcoxson’s Texas-leaguer drove-in Kennedy. Alba-Golden took a 2-1 lead. 

It didn’t last. 

The Lady Eagles loaded the bases in the third with a single, a double and a base-on-balls. Alba-Golden got a force out at the plate on a nice 3-2 play for the second out, but the bases remained loaded. Mattison stepped up and sent the first pitch on a line over the fence in left-center. In an instant the score was 5-2. 

Alba-Golden managed only one baserunner for the remainder of the night. Kayli Covey reached on an infield hit in the third. Mattison was basically untouchable for the remainder of the game. 

Como-Pickton added three runs in the top of the seventh with a two-out rally aided by an error in the field. 

Skyler West threw a complete game for the Lady Panthers. She spread-out eight hits, recorded four strike outs and issued three free passes. West pitched a solid game against a good-hitting team. Unfortunately, two of those eight hits produced five runs. 

The Lady Panthers conclude district play with away games at Rivercrest on Friday and Detroit on Tuesday.  They will then await playoff pairings. 

For those who could not make it to senior night festivities last Tuesday before the Como-Pickton game, one thing was very clear about this group of softball seniors – they enjoy competing.