Benicia High’s varsity softball team had an impressive 2014 debut on Friday, clobbering visiting Fairfield, 34-1.

DANIELLE KRANZ had a huge day for the Lady Panthers, pitching three solid innings and hitting two home runs.

Senior Danielle Kranz had an incredible day, hitting two home runs in the second inning, going 4-for-5 overall, scoring three runs and driving in three. Kranz also pitched three hitless innings, allowing no earned runs, walking one and striking out eight to get the win.

Fairfield scored its only run in the top of the first inning, but it was all Benicia after that. The Lady Panthers (1-0) scored eight runs in the bottom of the first inning, then added 13 more in the bottom of the second. Two more Lady Panthers scored in the third inning, and Benicia scored 11 runs in the fourth. The game was called after the top of the fifth inning due to the 10-run mercy rule.

Runs were coming so easily that the Lady Panthers started to lose track.

“We didn’t even know what the score was and when we asked, it was kinda shocking,” Kranz said.

A dozen Lady Panthers had a hit during the day, and all 16 players on the roster scored. Alex Wardlow went 3-for-6 with four runs and three RBI, and teammate Taylor Bloch went 2-for-3 with three runs and three RBI. Shelby Thompson went 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI, and McKenna Gregory, Mallory Barnard and Lindsay Zimmer each scored three runs.

Gregory made her varsity pitching debut and allowed only one hit in two innings while striking out five.

The Lady Panthers host American Canyon on Wednesday in another Solano County Athletic Conference game.

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