Dan Eyrich, AP Sports
The baseball Panthers exacted some revenge and ended the regular season with an 8-5 win over Rockbridge on Thursday. The Rockets had picked up a one run, come from behind win over the Panthers on Monday. Thursday’s game was originally scheduled to be played in Prophetstown but due to field conditions was moved to Rockridge with the Panthers listed as the home team.
Both starting pitchers, Evan Steimle for EP, and Tanner Dye for Rockridge pitched well with both teams collecting 7 hits and a combined 7 walks. The defense, however, for both teams was very shaky with the Rockets committing 6 errors and the Panthers misplaying the ball 7 times.
Rockridge had single tallies in both the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead before the Panthers got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. With one out, Logan Copeland singled and following a second out, Parker Rangel also singled to set the table for the EP offense. A walk to Braedyn Frank loaded the bases with the Panthers scoring two runs on a misplayed Caden VanHorn ground ball. Frank then scored on a wild pitch to put the Panthers up 3-2 after three innings.
EP added to their lead in the fourth with Zane Romero starting off the inning with a single and advancing to third on a throwing error. Another Rocket error, this time by the centerfielder on a fly ball hit by Tristan Hovey, scored Romero with Hovey ending up on third base. Yet another misplay on a ground ball allowed Hovey to score with Logan Copeland scoring the Panthers third run of the inning on a sac fly by Rangel to make it 6-2 EP.
Rockridge got one run back the fifth after the first three batters reached base. Steimle limited the damage with a pair of strikeouts and a fly ball out to end the threat.
The Rockets made it a 6-4 game in the sixth scoring a run on an infield error.
The Panthers added some insurance runs in their half of the sixth with Owen Farral scoring on a passed ball after he had singled and reached third on a dropped third strike play with Rangel at the plate. A Frank single drove in Rangel who had stolen third base, one of his three steals in the game, to make it 8-4 Panthers at the end of six.
Caden VanHorn, who had relieved Steimle with one out in the sixth inning, gave up one run after two were out in the seventh, getting the final out on a ground ball.
Steimle threw 5 1/3 innings gave up 5 hits, 2 earned runs, walked 4, and struck out 10. VanHorn went 1 2/3 innings giving up 2 hits, 1 earned run, and struck out 2.
Logan Copeland and Parker Rangel each had 2 hits, 1 RBI, and scored twice for the Panthers.
EP ends the regular season with an 8-15 mark. They will take on Riverdale in Port Byron next Wednesday at 6:30 in an IHSA Regional.
