Pine Prairie softball captures powerful 9-3 win over Bunkie

The 2016 softball season is just barely a week old and already the Pine Prairie Lady Panthers are showing signs of another impressive season.
Pine Prairie posted another huge win Monday, as the Lady Panthers strolled away with an 9-3 win over Bunkie High in a non-district contest.
Pine Prairie wasted no time in jumping out to an early lead over the Avoyelles Parish team.
Freshman Jacie McFarlain led off the inning, reaching first base on an error. The next two batters in the lineup, Julia Chaddrick and Sara Tate were both hit by pitch, loading up the bases.
Macy Harvey drove a ball into deep left field to score McFarlain on the sacrifice fly.
A pop up by Shaina Boutte to the shortstop recorded the second out of the inning. However, both Tori Johnson and Tori Bordelon singled driving in two more runs. By the time the dust had settled, the Lady Panthers led 3-0.
Sophomore starting pitcher Karli Ortego allowed a base hit in the bottom of the first, but did not allow Bunkie to capitalize on the hit and blanked the home team in the bottom of the first.
Pine Prairie would not score again until the top of the third inning, when Boutte drove a pitch over the left-center field wall for a two-run home run.
Meanwhile, Ortego continued to master the mound, recording a shut out threw the first three innings. During that stretch, the sophomore struck out five Bunkie batters she faced and only allowed the one base hit.
Pine Prairie struck again in the fifth inning as Boutte once again showed her power at the plate; this time belting a solo home run over the left field fence to give the Lady Panthers a 6-0 lead going into the bottom of the inning.
The Evangeline Parish version of the Lady Panthers tacked on two more runs in the top of the sixth. The big hits in the inning came off of the bats of McFarlain and Chaddrick who doubled and singled respectfully.
Not that it was needed, but Pine Prairie added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Harvey scored on a hit from junior Maddie O’Conner.
Ortego allowed three runs to Bunkie in the bottom of the seventh, but it was too little too late for the home standing Lady Panthers.
Ortego went the distance for Pine Prairie, recording seven strike outs and only walking one.
Boutte lead all Lady Panthers at the plate going 2-4 with two home runs and three runs batted in. McFarlain was also two for four with a double and two runs scored.
Pine Prairie will host Buckeye today at 4:30 and will participate in the Kinder tournament beginning on Friday. They are slated to play Rosepine the first game.