Battling for second

Class 2A's fourth-ranked Central Springs was the top team in the New Hampton tournament Saturday, and although the Panthers won over both area teams — Turkey Valley and New Hampton — the Chickasaws gave Central Springs a battle in the day's finale before dropping their first game of the tourney, 3-1.While Central Springs started the day with a 12-0 win over the fourth team in the tourney — Riceville — the Chickasaws and Trojans competed on the other diamond.Both teams scored in the first inning, but when Turkey Valley's Emily Busta walked and Delaney Lensing sent one over the fence to score the first runs of the game, the two runs would be all that Chickasaw pitcher Savannah Anderson and her defense would allow in the 5-2 New Hampton win.“Savannah pitched well after that,” said New Hampton coach Jack Seelhammer of the home run. “We pitched an inside pitch and she turned on it pretty good. We saw them at the Crestwood tournament and they played pretty well up there too.”New Hampton countered with four runs in the bottom half of the frame, highlighted by a bases-loaded, two-out double by Lexi Rasmussen that scored three runs.For the full story, please see the June 21 Tribune.