A quick start wasn't enough Tuesday, as Hammond's softball team saw its season come to an end on the road against Patuxent in the second round of the 2A South playoffs.
The top-seeded Panthers battled back from an early four-run deficit to score at least once in every inning en route to a 14-4 victory in five innings.
Hammond had kicked off the top of the first red-hot. Kelly Smith and Caroline Goyne smacked back-to-back singles and then Bethany Hewitt walked to load the bases. Emily Dowdall followed with a 2-RBI single to left to make it 2-0.
Then, later in the inning, Hewitt and Dowdall came around to score on wild pitches to increase the lead to four.
Patuxent pitcher Hannah Ludke settled down after that, however, to allow just two more hits — both by Dowdall — over the final four innings.
And, while the Panthers' defense buckled down, the team's bats heated up. Three runs in the first and another in the second tied the game. Then, with three more runs in the third, Patuxent took the lead for good.
Hammond did its best to keep things close, with Dowdall making several strong plays at third base and Kelly Smith making a diving catch at shortstop for the first out of the third inning. Ultimately, though, it wasn't enough for the Golden Bears to avoid the season-ending defeat.
Patuxent 14, Hammond 4
123 45 R-H-E
Ha 400 00 4-4-2
P 313 34 14-13-0