Despite hitting three home runs, the Knoxville Softball Squad could not keep up with the bats of Chariton on Wednesday night and fell to the Chargers 14-4 in a game was ended after five innings heard live on 95.3 KNIA. Knoxville got on the board first when Ciara Heffron hit a solo shot to left to make it 1-0, but Chariton responded with three runs in its half of the 1st all coming with two outs. Knoxville got those runs back on a Marlea Cox two run blast to right to tie the score at three in the 3rd. Chariton then blew the game open in the 4th with eight runs to effectively put it out of reach. Heffron did force it to the bottom of the 5th when she hit her second homer to left, but the Chargers walked it off in the bottom of the 5th on a Knoxville error. Coach Chris Peden told KNIA/KRLS Sports, his team fell into the habit of being impatient at the plate.

Peden: “If we’re patient and we make them throw to us and we have the hitters to do that. We were so rushed tonight at the plate, and when we’re rushed we don’t get those hits, and this is just another learning point.”

Heffron took the loss, her can Cox also had two RBIs, each. Knoxville is off until Monday when the Panthers resume their game with Centerville. Knoxville is 10-13 on the season and now 9-4 in the South Central Conference. That coupled with Cardinal’s win over Centerville eliminates the Panthers from the conference title race. Knoxville can still salvage 2nd place with a win over Centerville on Monday. Meanwhile, the Knoxville Baseball Squad had an unusual double header against two different teams. The Panthers swept the night beating South Tama 6-1 and pounding Wayne 15-0. In game one against South Tama, Lincoln Norris got the win striking out nine in five innings. Dakota Ramsey was the star at the plate going 2/3 and launching a grand slam with five RBI. The Panthers had it easy in game two against Wayne as Norris went 2/3 at the plate with a double and triple. Regan Roberts also drove in two runs. Roston McCarty got the win going four innings and allowing four hits. Also getting hits were Jessen Ferguson, Grant DeMoss, Brett Watters, and Brenden Woolsey. Knoxville raises its record to 14-16 and is off until Monday when the Panthers host Bondurant-Farrar.