The Palmer softball team pushed a run across in the top of the seventh inning to top host Soldotna in nonconference action Friday.

The Stars led 2-1 after the first inning, but the Moose grabbed a 6-2 lead after two innings.

“It was just a couple of mistakes we made in the field, and they were hitting the ball where we weren’t,” SoHi head coach Kelli Knoebel said after falling to 5-6 overall.

SoHi came back to tie the game at 6 in the fourth inning.

“Honestly, it was a pitchers’ duel in the fifth, sixth and seventh,” Knoebel said. “They were just able to get one run across in the seventh, and we didn’t.”

The coach said Serena Prior was once again excellent on the mound, with five strikeouts.

“She is pitching outstanding,” Knoebel said.

Amber McDonald was 3 for 4, while Prior was 2 for 4 and Allison Nelson had a triple.

The Stars jump back into conference play Wednesday against Skyview at 4 p.m. at Guy and Judy Hayes Field.

Palmer vs. Kenai canceled

The Palmer-Kenai softball game, which was scheduled for Saturday, was canceled due to smoky conditions.

Homer loses three of four in Kodiak

The Homer softball team lost three of four in a trip to Kodiak on Friday and Saturday.

The Mariners were able to go 1-1 in Northern Lights Conference play, winning the first game 6-2 on Friday before dropping the first game Saturday, 13-9. Homer lost the nonconference game 12-8 on Friday and 9-8 on Saturday.

Kodiak is now 6-2 in the league and wraps up the top spot in the standings and a state berth.

The second state berth is still up for grabs. Homer is 4-2 in the league, while Soldotna is 2-2 and Skyview is 2-3.

In the Friday conference game, McKi Needham finished 3 for 4 with two RBIs and also pitched a complete game, giving up five hits and an earned run. Maggie LaRue also was 2 for 4 with two runs and two RBIs.

In the late Friday game, Larsen Fellows was 2 for 4 with three RBIs, while Riley Walls had two hits and two RBIs, and LaRue had three hits. But Kodiak was able to get to Pam Jantzi for 10 runs, just three earned, in 4 2-3 innings.

In the Saturday conference game, Homer led 9-3 after three innings, but Kodiak came back for the win. LaRue, Fellows and Kayla Stafford had two hits. Needham took the loss on the mound, giving up 15 hits and 13 runs, 10 earned.

In the late Saturday game, Homer pounded out 11 hits but still lost 9-8. Stafford and Lauren Kuhns each had two hits, while Jantzi took the loss, giving up 11 hits and eight runs, six earned.