A bases-clearing double by junior Tsinte Steinruck helped the Del Norte Warriors overcome a slow start on their way to a 10-3 win over the McKinleyville Panthers in a key softball showdown in Crescent City on Thursday.

Tsinte’s big hit tied the game in the bottom of the fourth and sparked her team into life, as the Warriors improved to 3-1 in the Big 5 and took over sole possession of top spot in the Big 5 standings.

“After that we started clicking with the bats and started hitting the ball hard and making things happen,” Del Norte head coach Aaron Healy said. “And we got the job done.”

With the conference lead on the line, it was the Panthers who started the better of the two teams and took a quick 3-0 lead in the top of the first.

But as the Warriors began to settle into the game, they picked up their play on both sides of the ball and would hold the visitors scoreless the remainder of the game.

Senior McKenna Curtis “struggled a little bit early,” according to Healy, but the resilient senior standout battled and settled into the game on her way to the victory.

And she got plenty of help from her offense once the bats started to get going.

Shay Nolan and Reece White were particularly effective.

Nolan finished 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles, while White was 2-for-3 with a nicely-played bunt and a double and two RBIs.

“Reece White had probably her best game at the plate,” the coach added.

Both players also made some key plays in the outfield, which Healy describes as “pretty solid,” with White controlling center field and Nolan in right.

File photo – McKennah Sargent

Steinruck also made some plays at third, including grabbing a line drive for the final out of the game, while Carlee Harper worked tirelessly behind the plate and helped set the tone in what was a pivotal game for the Del Norte girls., who have now won three straight in conference.

After taking a one-run lead in the fourth, the Warriors continued to build on the advantage, including scoring five more runs in the sixth.

The McKinleyville bats were held to just four hits in the loss, including a double by Liana Stumpf.

Bailee Box also made some noise at the plate for McKinleyville and went 1-for-3 with a walk and also scored a run, while Taylor Wade and Leah Circe each was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

McKennah Sargent pitched all six innings for the Panthers, allowing 11 hits and striking out five.

With the loss, the Mack girls dropped to 4-3 in the Big 5.

The Panthers will try to get back to winning ways when they host Del Norte in a doubleheader on Saturday as both schools close out a three-game series.

Game one is scheduled to get under way at 11 a.m.

In other Big 5 games this week, the Fortuna Huskies traveled to Arcata and came away with a 6-3 win over the Tigers to go to 4-3 in the Big 5.

The Tigers dropped to 2-2.

Both of those teams will also play a doubleheader at Fortuna on Saturday, with those games also scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.