Jeff Bowers, Pottsville softball

BIRDSBORO — It didn’t take long for Pottsville to give Jeff Bowers his first victory as the Crimson Tide’s new head softball coach.

Peyton Eckert pitched five strong innings and Reese Ketner drove in four runs to lead Pottsville past Daniel Boone 12-1 in six innings Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

“It’s like a monkey on your back. It’s great to get one (win) in the books,” Bowers said. “We battled the wind, but we played as a team, very solid.”

Ketner finished 3-for-4 with a triple, three runs and four RBIs. She rapped a two-run single in the first inning as Pottsville jumped out to a 3-0 lead. Ketner added a two-run single in the Tide’s six-run sixth inning.

Cadence Borger went 3-for-4 with a double, while Eckert finished 3-for-4 with a double, one run and one RBI. Jo Barnhart added a 2-for-2 day that included two runs and one RBI.

In the circle, Eckert tossed five innings, allowing four hits and one unearned run. She struck out seven and walked none. Jayden Moyer pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the Tide, striking out two and walking none.

Arianna Krakowski went 3-for-3 with a pair of doubles for Daniel Boone.

Po (1-0)                 300      216 — 12        15       1      

DB (0-1)              001      000 — 1           5       2

Eckert, Moyer (6) and Wessner; Washleski, Garman (3) and Krakowski. W — Eckert (1-0). L — Washleski (0-1).

HITS: Pottsville — Siminitus, Ketner 3, Wessner, Eckert 3, Borger 3, Kunstek, Kalovcak, Barnhart 2. Daniel Boone — Krakowski 3, Garman, Henderson.

2B — Eckert, Kunstek, Borger, Krakowski 2, Garman. 3B — Ketner.