Matt Vines

STANLEY – Stanley softball pushed across eight runs in the first three innings as the Lady Panthers swamped Holden, 10-3, on Wednesday in the second round of the Division V Non-Select playoffs.

Stanley, the No. 6 seed, will tee off against No. 3 Choudrant today at 5:30 p.m. on the road.

It’s the fifth straight quarterfinals appearance for the Lady Panthers, who have lost in this round each of the previous four seasons.

Stanley is aching to make its first state tournament appearance since 2017 when the Lady Panthers fell to Holden in the championship game.

That same Holden program wasn’t a problem Wednesday as Stanley built its large lead.

Two-run home runs from Riley Palmer and Paige Campbell were the catalysts behind a 5-0 lead in the first inning. Karsyn Weeks added an RBI single for the fifth run of the inning.

Two other players also supplied two RBIs in the win, including Weeks (2-for-4) and K Moton (2-for-4).

Palmer led the way with a 4-for-5 effort while A Gooden added three hits. Stanley amassed a whopping 18 hits in the final home game of the season.

Every Lady Panther to make a plate appearance reached base with all but one recording a hit.

Neither one of Jace Jones’ two hits was a home run Wednesday, but her 19 home runs this season ranks No. 3 in the nation for teams that report stats to maxpreps.com.

It was more than enough firepower for Campbell in the circle as she scattered three runs and seven hits with just one walk.

Holden scratched out two runs in the fourth inning on a L. Landrum home run, but Holden would come no closer than 8-3 in the fifth inning.