Playing the waiting game for the past seven days, the Macomb High softball squad took to the diamond for an actual game Tuesday afternoon at MHS Field.
However, the Bombers were unable to shake free from their recent doldrums as visiting Camp Point Central blanked the host 3-0 in a non-conference contest.
Central improved to 4-4 on the season, while MHS slipped to 2-6, suffering their fifth straight loss. The Bombers offense has not scored in its last 20 innings.
The Panthers got on the board in their first at-bat, scoring twice.
Emma Stephens singled to center on the game’s first pitch. She advanced to third after a pair of infield ground outs.
Ali Sorensen, serving as a courtesy runner for Stephens, scored the game’s first run when Braizley Allison singled to left.
Allison moved to second on a wild pitch and advanced to third when Ali Stephens reached base on an infield single to short.
Allison scored when Bomber shortstop Lauren Schmalshof misplayed Ella Venvertloh’s pop fly for an error.
Macomb did not have its first baserunner until the bottom of the third when Peyton Corbin reached on an error by Allison at first base.
A fielder’s choice and a ground out ended the inning however, leaving the Bombers down 2-0.
MHS threatened with two outs in the fourth.
Kinley Sloan was hit by a pitch with two outs before Lauren Schmalshof had the team’s first hit, a single to center. That advanced courtesy runner Violet Sparks to third with Schmalshof reaching second on the throw.
However, Emma Stephens avoided any damage when Autumn Starbuck lined out to right on a 3-1 pitch to end the inning.
Meanwhile, Sloan kept the Panthers off the board after the opening inning. She pitched her way out of a two-out, two-on situation in the second when she retired Gwen Huston on a fly ball to Starbuck in center.
An error and a hit batter put runners on first and second with one out in the third. But Sloan retired McKinley Rittenhouse on a foul out to catcher Reagan Knowles, who made a nifty catch near the fence.
Sloan then retired Graci Giles on a grounder to short to end the inning.
In the bottom of the fifth, Corbin singled with one out before Knowles reached on a single to short with two outs. But Brooklyn Lyles grounded out to second to end the inning.
The bottom of the sixth saw Lilyan Schmalshof double to center with two outs. But with Starbuck at the plate, Schmalshof was caught in a rundown between second and third. She was tagged out by Huston for the final out of the inning.
Central added its final run in the top of the seventh.
Emma Stephens walked with one out and moved to second as Adisen Mace reached on an error by Lilyan Schmalshof at third.
After the pair executed a double steal, Stephens scored on a sacrifice fly to right by Huston.
Macomb had one final chance in the seventh as Lilian Goc singled to right with one out. But a fielder’s choice and a pop up to Huston at short ended the game that lasted just 73 minutes.
Macomb out-hit Central 5-4, but also committed four errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.
Lilyan Schmalshof had two hits, while Knowles, Goc and Corbin added one hit apiece.
In the circle, Sloan allowed just one earned run on four hits. She struck out three, walked one and hit a batter.
Sloan threw 92 pitches, 57 for strikes.
Emma Stephens allowed five hits and hit one batter, striking out seven for Central. She threw 94 pitches, 67 for strikes.
Stephens also had two hits and scored a run, while Huston and Allison knocked in runs for the zPanthers.
The Bombers are slated to return to action Friday, hosting Canton (10-6). On Apr. 20, MHS will host Barry Western (6-4). Among the wins for the Wildcats this season was a 12-8 win over Camp Point Central on April 8.
