A three run rally in the top of the seventh inning by the Panthers tied the game at 10, which would end up being the final score in Knoxville as a lack of lights resulted in the game being called after eight innings.
Trailing 1-0 after one inning the Panthers rallied with two outs in the second to take a 3-1 lead. A double by Carter Hadaway drove in Cade Huisman who led off the inning with a single and Landon VanDeWostine who had reached on an error to make it 2-1 EP. A single by Sawyer Schwartz brought in Hadaway for the third run.
EP added another two out tally in the third as Gavin VanDyke scored on a passed ball after reaching on a hit by pitch.
Knoxville tied the game in the third capitalizing on back-to-back EP errors to start the frame. The unearned runs came in on a single and a sacrifice fly to make it 4-3 EP. Another RBI single made it four all after three.
The Blue Bullets added to their lead in the fourth with an RBI triple and a fielder’s choice to go up 6-4.
EP would rally in the fifth as VanDyke collected his second of three singles in the game to get things going. He was followed by Evan Steimle who also laced a single to put two on with one out. A Huisman sacrifice fly drove in VanDyke. Consecutive walks forced in another run to tie the game at 6.
The ping pong lead changes continued in the bottom of the fifth as Knoxville pushed four runs across to take a 10-6 lead. The big blow coming on a two run double off of reliever Graden Church.
EP would get one run back in the sixth as Braedyn Frank cranked a ball over the left field fence to make it 10-7 Knoxville.
The biggest rally of the game for EP came in the top of the seventh. With one out Alastaire Sweetser rapped a double to center. An outfield error put Panthers on second and third with Schwartz driving in a run on a fielder’s choice. Frank knocked a two out RBI single to right to make it 10-9 Bullets. Frank then stole second and came around on a big clutch single by VanDyke to tie it at 10.
Knoxville did not threaten in their half of the seventh and neither team mounted a threat in the eighth before the game was called due to darkness.
Evan Steimle got the start for EP going three and a third giving up 6 hits, 5 runs (1 earned), 1 walk and 3 strikeouts. Graden Church threw two innings giving up 3 hits, 5 runs (3 earned), 1 walk and collecting 3 Ks. Braedyn Frank tossed two and two thirds innings allowing 1 hit, no runs, 1 walk and getting 3 strikeouts.
EP cranked out a dozen hits with VanDyke going 3-for-3 and getting the tying RBI. Frank, Hadaway, and Schwartz each drove in two and Steimle collected two hits.
Coach Jeff Wunderlich liked his team’s clutch play. “We showed some fight by rallying in the top of the seventh with a couple of big two out hits by Frank and Vandyke to tie it up.”
EP (1-1-1) will host Pearl City on Friday.
