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After nearly allowing Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton to come back and steal a game Saturday afternoon, the NRHEG softball team was back on the diamond Monday night taking on a tough Waterville-Elysian-Morristown team.

The Panthers stuck with the No. 10-ranked Buccaneers for much of the game, but gave up a three-run sixth inning, allowing the Buccaneers to win 4-1.

WEM scored their first time at the plate, making it a 1-0 game after the first inning of play. After a scoreless second inning, the Panthers knotted the game at 1-1 as Breanna Sommer scored in the top of the third.

However, that would be the only run scored by the Panthers as they struggled to gain any offensive momentum, totaling just two hits in the game. The first by Sommer and the second by Faith Nielsen.

Sophie Stork started in the circle for NRHEG, pitching all six innings. Stork allowed four runs on six hits and recorded eight strikeouts and three walks.

“We had our chances to win this game,” said head coach Wendy Schultz. “We had a few miscues that ended up with WEM runners advancing and scoring. The girls had quite a few good, hard hits, but WEM’s defense made the plays.”

The Panthers fall to 13-2 on the season and will be back on the diamond Thursday when they host the Rebels of United South Central.