The Iowa Mennonite softball team grabbed an early lead against the Pekin Panthers but couldn’t hold them off, falling 8-2 in Superconference action on the road Tuesday.

IMS scored once in the first when Rubye Ney singled and came in on a wild pitch. Iowa Mennonite used the same formula in the second when Mia Graber tripled to deep right and came home on an Emilee Linder wild pitch to make it 2-0 IMS. From there, Pekin took control. The Panthers scored eight unanswered runs including five tallies on five hits in the bottom of the second to take a 5-2 advantage. Pekin tacked on three more on three hits in the fourth for insurance and the win. The Panthers also feasted on four IMS errors. IMS was led at the plate by Graber who was two for three with a run scored. Hannah Harris took the loss in the circle going six frames, giving up 10 hits, eight runs, walking one and striking out one. With the loss IMS is now 1-5 as they get set to take on Louisa-Muscatine Thursday.