IMA SPORTS

The softball season might have come to an earlier end for Maumee than anyone expected or wanted, but the finish can’t distract from another successful run for the Panthers.

With one regular season game yet to play, the Panthers were 16-12 for their second straight season with a winning record. They’ve won 63 percent of their 57 games over the last two seasons.

Maumee entered the season as the narrow favorite to win the Northern Buckeye Conference, one vote ahead of Lake. The Panthers ended up finishing fifth at 7-6, behind the Flyers, Eastwood, Oak Harbor and Otsego.

“I think they will learn from this season and be more even keeled in the future,” Panthers coach Brian Jones said. “I think the expectation of winning the NBC was a bit too much, and I put too much pressure on them at beginning of season.”

Maumee was well-represented on the All-NBC list, released last weekend. Autumn Gugger and Taylor Smith repeated on the first team All-League as an outfielder and catcher, respectively.

Julia Coutcher was named All-League for the second straight season as well, making the second team as a second baseman.

Reign Hurt (short stop), Brynn Maier (first baseman) and Hannah Ruiz (pitcher) were named to the honorable mention list. Ruiz and Hurt were on the honorable mention list last year, too.

Smith led the team with .560 batting average and seven home runs, with eight doubles and two triples. She had 31 RBIs, 30 runs and 11 stolen bases.

Gugger batted .476 with five triples and eight doubles, 44 runs, 20 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.

Ruiz hit .442 with 12 extra base hits, 30 RBI and 10 runs, Hurt batted .379 with 20 extra base hits, including six homers, 42 RBIs and 27 runs, and Coutcher hit .366 with 17 doubles, 38 runs and 27 RBIs.

Maier hit .351 with 29 RBIs and 19 runs. As one of only two seniors on the roster, along with newcomer Lucy Porter, Jones said Maier carried a heavy load on her shoulders.

“Brynn has been amazing,” Jones said. “It was a lot for one kid to lead the program. The days she missed for DECA, we just were not the same team.”

Ruiz went 13-10 in the pitching circle this season with a 2.88 ERA, and 128 strikeouts against 42 walks in 136 1/3 innings. Coutcher went 3-2 in 33 2/3 innings with a 4.99 ERA and 26 strikeouts.

With the bulk of the roster and talent returning for next season, the lessons and heartache of this season could turn into a return to titles next year.

“I think overall we just did not meet my expectations, but we had a winning record and played well,” Jones said. “We just did not finish some games.”

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers
Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com