by Josh Eyrich
4/10 Panthers vs Knoxville
Panthers fell to the Knoxville Blue Bullets 15-12 on Monday afternoon. The visiting Blue Bullets held off a late surge by the Panthers to hold onto the win.
The tight low-scoring start of the game was nowhere to be seen as the game concluded. Tied at 1 after the fourth inning the Blue Bullets used a combination of walks, Panthers’ errors and a sacrifice fly to take a three run lead into the middle of the fifth. Bryce Jepson led off the Panther half of the inning by reaching first on an error. A Parker Rangel walk followed before Reece Duncan drove in the Panther’s second run of the day with a single to center. Next batter Tucker VanDeWostine copied Duncan’s single and, with the addition of an error on the play, tied the game 4-4.
The tie game was short lived as Knoxville added four runs in the top of sixth and seven more runs in the top of the seventh inning.
Trailing 15-4 entering the bottom of the seventh the Panthers showed no quit. Zane Romero singled to lead off the inning followed by a Braedyn Frank double. A fielder’s choice off the bat of Nate Packer gave the Panther’s a fifth run, 15-5. A walk, a strikeout and a walk followed, putting Liam Johnson at the plate with the bases loaded and the Panthers down to their final out. With the count full Johnson was hit by the pitch, 15-6. Reece Duncan followed with a walk, 15-7, before Tucker VanDeWostine drove in two with a single to center, 15-9. For the second time in the inning Zane Romero singled, 15-11. Braedyn Frank singled to right, 15-12. A Panther flyout ended the two out rally and the game.
Offensive leaders for the Panthers include Tucker VanDeWostine who went 3 for 5 with 4 RBI, Zane Romero who went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored, and Braedyn Frank who went 3 for 4.
Panthers pitchers combined to allow 15 runs, 8 earned, while striking out 6 and walking 8.
EP vs Knoxville Box Score
4/11 Panthers vs Monmouth-Roseville
On Tuesday afternoon the Panthers played host to the Monmouth-Roseville Titans. Despite out hitting and out pitching the Titans, the Panthers fell 3-2.
Panther starter Braedyn Frank, making his first varsity start, was dominate. Only 6 Titans batters touched base during Frank’s seven innings as he gave up three walks and three singles. At the plate the Panthers batters looked good and had hits in every inning but the fifth.
On the scoreboard the Titans struck first. In the top of the third a walk came around to score on a error by the right fielder. A following single plated the Titans second run putting them up 2-0. In the bottom of the inning the Panther answered. After an error allowed the Panthers to put their lead runner on, Owen Farral drove in the first Panther run with a single to right. The Titans extended their lead in the top of the fifth when a walk again scoring on an error. Back to back doubles in the bottom of the sixth by Tucker VanDeWostine and Zane Romero cut Monmouth-Roseville’s lead to 3-2. A Nate Parker lead off single in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Panthers hope, and with the help of a Parker Rangel sacrifice bunt, a runner in scoring position. Owen Farral singled the first pitch he saw into center and unfortunately for the Panthers, Rangel could not beat the throw home. A ground out followed and ended the game.
Frank went seven innings allowing 3 runs, none earned, while walking 3 and striking out 5. Owen Farral went 3 for 3 with a RBI as did Zane Romero.
The Panthers, 0-8 (0-3) continue their busy week with another matchup with the Titans before more action this weekend.
