Wolves put up better fight in loss to 2nd-ranked Lo-Ma

 IRWIN -- During a week in which they outscored five other opponents 89-10 over the course of seven wins, the IKM-Manning softball team may have gained the most confidence from an 8-4 loss to Logan-Magnolia Thursday night.
 Sixteen days after losing to the Panthers 10-2 in Logan, the 12th-ranked Wolves stayed within striking distance of Class 2-A’s No. 2 team for six innings in the rematch before Jenna Peschel’s three-run, seventh-inning homer gave Lo-Ma the safety net that it needed.
 The explosive, well-rounded Panthers scored all of their runs in two bursts, plating five in the third and three in the seventh to improve to 22-1 overall and 15-0 in the Western Iowa Conference. IKM-Manning, which could meet Lo-Ma again later this week for the WIC Tournament title, dropped to 16-6 overall and 14-3 in league play.
 The Wolves finished with just one less hit than the Panthers - nine to eight - and trailed by only two runs (5-3) going to the final inning.