March 27, 2011 9:05 PM
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Baseball
Principia College Athletics
Panthers swept in three game set to open up SLIAC conference play
Principia College Athletics
LOUISVILLE, KY. -- The Principia College Baseball Team squared off with one of the top conference teams, Spalding University, and they were swept, 11-0, 8-0, and 9-5.
In game one, the Panthers showed little fight as they were stymied by Spalding freshman lefthander, Tyler Brown. Brown dealt all game long, keeping the Principia hitters off balanced and fooled by changing speeds and getting ahead in the count.
Freshman
Luke Ball took the mound for Principia and didn't have his normal good command and focus. Spalding took advantage of the many mistakes that the Panther team made as they poured on 11 runs on a dozen hits.
In game two of the series, junior ace
Greg Ball toed the slab and went to war against the mighty Spalding lineup. Greg pitched courageously and gave his team a chance to compete to win. However, errors (both physical and mental) cost Greg and the team a chance at victory. The score was knotted 0-0 in the bottom of the 3rd inning with two outs before a costly error led to two unearned runs and gave Spalding the lead. The next inning Principia allowed another two runs (one more unearned run). Though Greg pitched five strong innings, he exited the game with the team trailing 4-0.
The offense could not get it clicked in and Principia ended up getting shutout for the second consecutive game.
In game three, the Panther bats exploded for five runs in the first two innings. The team showed a great deal of fight in this game, but once again costly mental and physical mistakes ended up being the difference. Though the Panthers were leading 5-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning, they ended up coughing up the lead and losing 9-5.
It was good to see the bats return in the early going, but the team knows that if they are going to be contenders in SLIAC conference play this season they are going to have to bring their “A” game from here on out.
The team plays again on Tuesday in Jacksonville, Ill. against MacMurray College.
