File photo – McKennah Sargent

The Panthers got the new softball season off to a winning start on Wednesday afternoon, defeating Hoopa 12-2 at McKinleyville High School.

Hoopa took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third inning, but the home team would quickly settle into the game and took control with four runs in each of the third, fourth and fifth innings to end the game early on the 10-run rule.

Catcher and lead-off batter Bailee Box led the way at the plate and finished 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI, while Mashell Stumpf also got the new season off to an impressive start, finishing 1-for-3 with a home run, and her sister Liana Stumpf was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs.

McKennah Sargent added two hits and an RBI and also got the win in the circle.

The sophomore standout picked up just where she left off a year ago, holding the visitors to just four hits and no walks in a complete-game five innings, while striking out three and allowing just one earned run.

Jessie Driggs, Ki-Shan Daniels, Taylor Wade and Kayla Beck each also had a base hit to round out a 12-hit team performance, including a double by Driggs.

For Hoopa, which dropped to 0-1, Millennia McKindley and Brooklyn Kurtz each finished 1-for-2 with a double, while Rikki Lipscomb finished 1-for-2 and Bella Valentine was 1-for-3.

Monteya Colegrove took the loss in the circle, striking out six batters and walking just one.

File photo – Bailee Box