Alastaire Sweetser got the start for EP and kept the high powered home team off the board not allowing a run through four innings. Unfortunately, he was matched up against Luke Madigan, who broke the L-W strikeout record at the start of the season, eclipsing the twenty-one year old record of 258. Madigan lived up to his reputation as he struckout 14 and allowed just 1 hit in the win.
Sweetser flashed some leather in the first inning as after a walk and a one out single, he snagged a line drive and doubled the runner off of first.
Madigan was in the groove from the outset as he struck out eight of the first nine hitters he faced.
While Madigan collected two more Ks in the fourth, Sweetser was keeping the home team at bay as he had allowed just one hit and struck out five through four innings, working around three walks.
Neither team had a runner reach second base again until the the bottom of the fifth. With two outs, back-to-back walks and a passed ball put runners at first and third. On an 0-2 count the runner of first broke for second and Sweetser committed a balk allowing the first run of the game to score. A hit batter put two runners on and a single drove in the second run for L-W to make 2-0 after five.
Madigan had a perfect game through six innings as he racked up his twelveth strikeout in the sixth and had not allowed a ball out of the infield.
EP started the seventh inning with a baserunner as Richard Carreno reached on an infield error, to end the bid for a perfect game. Unfortunately, he was picked off, which loomed large as after a strikeout the Panthers got their first hit of the game on a slow infield roller by Gavin VanDyke. However, Madigan did not let losing the no-hitter affect him as he recorded his 14th strikeout to end the contest.
Sweetser went the distance for EP throwing a great game allowing just 4 hits, 2 earned runs, striking out 8 and walking 5.
EP (5-15-1) will look to break their twelve game losing streak as they host Stark County on Tuesday.
