UNION CITY — Tri-County North’s softball team picked up its second win of the season with a 13-3 victory over host Mississinawa Valley on Tuesday, April 5.

The Panthers (2-4 overall, 2-1 Cross County Conference) scored five runs in the fourth on a two-run home run by Taylor Green, a two-run double by Riley Cruse, and an RBI single by Megan Hemp.

The teams traded runs for most of the contest, leading to three lead changes in the game.

Green boosted her batting average thanks to a perfect 4-for-4 day at the plate to pace North.

Hemp got the win for the Panthers, allowing three runs over six innings. She struck out seven, walked one and surrendered seven hits.

In the top of the second, North grabbed the early lead on a single by Green, plating Kaitlin Heindl and starting the inning off.

After the quick strike from North, Mississinawa Valley responded with three runs in the third. Mississinawa Valley scored on a fielder’s choice and a two-run single by K. Blocher.

North added four more runs in the top of the fifth. A ground out scored Green to start the scoring in the inning. That was followed up by Cruse’s double, scoring Cassi Stinson.

The Panthers built upon their lead with two runs in the sixth. Stinson’s single got things going, plating Green. That was followed up by Hemp’s single, scoring Stinson.

North opened the weeky by traveling to Union County (Indiana) on Monday, April 4, where the Panthers suffered a 12-7 setback.

Heindl did all she could to give North a boost, but it wasn’t enough to get past Union County.

Heindl racked up three RBI on three hits. She singled in the first inning, tripled in the third inning, and doubled in the fifth inning.

Even though Danielle Franklin allowed seven runs over seven innings she still recorded the victory. Franklin struck out nine, walked one and gave up eight hits.

Tanner Henry, Emma Adams and Tara Williams helped lead Union County, combining for eight hits and five RBI.

Cruse took the loss for North, allowing six runs in four innings, walked two and struck out one.

In the top of the first, North grabbed an the early lead, 3-0. Morgan Helman kicked things off for the Panthers with a single. Heindl singled, plating Hemp. North pushed more runs across when Helman scored on an RBI single by Kimberly Stacey and Heindl scored on an error.

It didn’t take long for Union County to respond as it scored three runs of its own in the first. The Patriots scored on an RBI single by Adams, an RBI double by Williams, and an RBI single by Madi Rosenberger.

Union County never trailed after scoring six runs in the fifth on a two-run double by Henry, a two-run error, and an RBI single by Lilly Hampton.

A one-run sixth inning helped bring North within five. An RBI double by Brooke Timmons set off the rally.

The Panthers are scheduled to visit Dayton Christian on Friday, April and travel to Tri-Village on Tuesday, April 12.