The hits just weren’t coming for the Marion High School softball team Friday at Nickerson.

The batters made good contact with the ball, especially in the second game of the doubleheader against the Panthers, but every ball put into play seemingly went right to a Nickerson fielder, coach Jill Hudson said.

The Warriors fell behind early in game one, as Nickerson scored four in the first inning. MHS narrowed the margin to 4-1 when first baseman Sarah Guetersloh hit an RBI double with two outs in the second inning.

Guetersloh scored the Warriors’ other run in the fifth inning when pitcher Raelene Allen drove her home with a double. Allen struck out four Panthers in the game.

Nickerson scored another run in the second inning, two in the third, and four in the fourth. Marion’s defense tightened up in the fifth and sixth innings, holding the Panthers scoreless.

The final score was NHS 11, Marion 2.

Game two

MHS managed only two hits and three walks, as Nickerson jumped out to a 12-0 lead after four innings. The Warriors got onto the scoreboard in the fifth inning as Ashley Ratzlaff scored, but it would be their only run of the game.

“They’re making steps toward the right direction,” Hudson said. “It’s just going to be a process.”

NHS won, 12-1.

MHS Statistics

Batting

Raelene Allen — 2-3, 2B, BB, RBI, SB

Alex Cain — 0-2

Sarah Guetersloh — 1-3, 2B, R, RBI

Jordan Harper — 0-4

Brooke Johnson — 1-5, SB

Anna Laurin — 0-5

Shelby Percell — 1-3, 2B, R

Ashley Ratzlaff — 0-4, R

Emily Rogers — 0-3

J.D. Schaeffers — 1-2

Annie Whitaker — 1-5

Pitching

Raelene Allen — 6 IP, 4 K, 4 BB, 7 H, 7 ER

Alex Cain — 4 IP, 2 K, 3 BB, 8 H, 9 ER