The Creston Panthers will make their 6th trip to the State Softball Tournament after notching a 6-3 win over Atlantic on Monday night. Creston got some early short hits to work in their favor and then came up big with the long ball later in the game.

The Panthers jumped on top early with a run in the 1st on an RBI single from Emma Hanson. They added two more runs in the 2nd inning on RBI singles from Sara Keeler and Gracie Hagle. Creston loaded the bases with nobody out to start that frame. The Trojans got a force out at home for the first out of the inning and then Olivia Engler prevented any more damage with two straight strikeouts to end the inning. Atlantic responded in the third with a 2 RBI double from Caroline Pellett and an RBI single from McKenzie Waters to tie the game at 3.

Creston freshman Nevaeh Randall came up with the big hit of the game in the 4th. With two down Gracie Hagle got on base with a single and then Randall stepped up and belted a 2-run shot over the right-center fence to put Creston back up 5-3. The Panthers added an insurance run in the top of the 7th and the Trojans couldn’t answer at the plate. Reagan Pellet got a bloop single with two out, but the next batter Lauren Nicholas hit into a 1-3 groundout to end the game. Atlantic Head Coach Terry Hinzmann said it was just a bit of an off night for the Trojans.

Creston improves to 13-5 with the win and will move on to the State Tournament in Fort Dodge next week. Atlantic sees another successful season end with a record of 17-2. Coach Hinzmann said it will be hard to say goodbye to a couple of great seniors in Reagan Pellett and McKenzie Waters.

Those two Trojans were a part of 135 wins for the program since they were eighth graders. The Trojans also earned their only two trips to the State Tournament in school history during that time span.