Box Score ELSAH, ILL. --Â In game one the Panthers rally came up short 8-6. Iowa Wesleyan Tigers jumped up to an early 4-0 lead after two innings. Senior Luke Ball got the start on the mound and settled in after the first two innings. The Panthers rallied for four runs in the third and fourth inning. In the third inning freshman
Connor Coyne got the inning started with a single and advanced to second base on a ground out. Freshman
Hunter Mehring singled in the first run and advanced to second base on a base hit bunt attempt by freshman
Ed Bargmann.
Christian Thomas followed with a two out RBI single to cut the lead to 4-2. Luke Ball held Iowa Wesleyan scoreless in the third inning and the Panthers struck again in the top of the fourth.
Scott Ross singled with one out. After a popup
Connor Coyne reached on an error by the third baseman.
Logan McDowell singled in the first run of the inning.
Hunter Mehring also reached on an error and plated the second run of the inning tying the score 4-4.
Iowa Wesleyan answered back in the bottom of the fifth inning. With the bases loaded and two outs the Tigers singled in two runs and then a throwing error on the play allowed all the base runners to score and gave Iowa Wesleyan an 8-4 advantage. Junior
Gavin Thomas came in relief and pitched a scoreless sixth inning.
The Panthers mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh inning, but came up just short.
Hunter Mehring singled to start the inning.
Christian Thomas singled and
Gavin Thomas followed with an RBI single to cut the score to 8-5.
Spencer Clevenger sacrificed in
Christian Thomas, but the Tigers were able to induce a fly out to end the game. Three Panther hitters finished the game with two hits.
Hunter Mehring went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI's,
Christian Thomas went 2 for 4, and
Gavin Thomas also went 2 for 4.
Ed Bargmann,
Scott Ross,
Connor Coyne, and
Logan McDowell all contributed a hit. The Panthers played solid defense lead by freshman
Ed Bargmann in centerfield and junior
Christian Thomas at shortstop.
Game 2
In game two the Panthers got a solid start from senior
Scott Ross. Scott pitched 6 innings, allowing two runs and only one earned run and striking out six batters. Iowa Wesleyan's starting pitcher Krisofer Klabunder kept the Panther batters off balance going the distance and only allowing four hits and no runs.
With the score 2-0 heading into the 7
th inning the Tigers took advantage of the Panthers defensive miscues and plated 8 runs in the inning. The Panthers got a couple of tough breaks and the Tigers used this to their advantage.
The Panthers played some solid baseball over the weekend and look to get back on track against Fontbonne University on Tuesday March 25
th in a conference double header in Elsah. First pitch is scheduled for 5pm.
