ELSAH, IL – The Panther Baseball team opened up their 2023 campaign hosting the Crowley's Ridge Pioneers for a single nine inning game on a frigid Friday afternoon. John Butler (C '87), a recent inductee into the Gold and Blue Athletic Hall of Fame, threw a strike for the ceremonial first pitch.
Sophomore transfer,
Micah Cook, made his first appearance on the mound in the Panther pinstripes. He went six innings, surrendering seven runs (five earned) and tallied two strikeouts. Freshman
Ben Perrine led off the bottom of the first with a single through the six hole for a hit in his first collegiate career at bat. After Perrine stole second, sophomore
Salvador Flores singled with two outs to advance the runner to third, before freshman
Kailis Mayo ripped a line drive single to pick up two collegiate firsts with a hit and an RBI. After the first, the Panthers trailed 2-1 but were out hitting the Pioneers 3 to 1.
In the second, Ethan Booth drove a ball to deep center to collect a double in his first collegiate at bat, but Crowley's Ridge starting pitcher settled in and was able to strand the runner. The Panthers continued to hit (finishing with eight on the day), but they were unable to push any runs across for the rest of the game. Late in the game, Cayden Hazelrigg picked up his first collegiate hit on pinch hit line drive to right.
The Panthers had some defensive miscues that stretched the Pioneer lead. After the first game jitters passed, the young group showed that they could play and made some great defensive plays. In the fourth, Alex Zozaya showed off his arm by throwing out a baserunner at the plate after a single to left. In the seventh, with the Pioneers threatening with runners at second and third with one out, Hunter LeBlanc induced a ground out to short and first baseman Tim Eissler threw home to nab the runner trying to score.
On Saturday, the Pioneers returned for an afternoon doubleheader, and the Panthers gave the nod to Salvador Flores in game one to make his first start of the season. After the leadoff man reached on an error, Flores made a great catch and throw on a failed sac bunt attempt, doubling off the runner. The Panthers threatened in the bottom of the first but stranded a runner at third.
In the second, an early error cost the Panthers as Crowley's Ridge scored one run on one hit to take the lead. After Ethan Booth doubled in the bottom of the inning, a walk to Hunter LeBlanc followed by a wild pitch gave the Panthers two runners in scoring position. Unfortunately, they were unable to capitalize, while Crowley's Ridge tacked on two in the third with two outs. Flores would keep the Pioneer bats at bay until the 6th when a two-out, two-run home run pushed the lead to five.
With two outs in the bottom of the sixth, Ethan Booth continued his hot start at the plate by driving a triple to the right center gap for his third extra base hit of the weekend. Hazelrigg then picked up an RBI single to put the Panthers on the board. The Panthers would drop game one as the Pioneers tacked on eight runs in the 7th.
In the third game of the series, Booth made his first collegiate start on the mound and kept the Pioneers hitless into the third, when the Pioneers finally struck with a run. The game looked to be a pitcher's duel as the Pioneer pitcher kept the Panthers hitless into the fourth before Panther catcher, Ryan D'Amico, doubled to the left center gap. The Pioneers would add two in the fifth to take a 3-0 lead. The Panthers, determined to push across a run, kept battling into the 7th inning. LeBlanc drew a leadoff walk before Flores launched a home run to left to bring the Panthers within one run. However, Crowley's Ridge was able to hold on for the three-game series sweep.
Up Next: The Panthers head to St. Louis to take on the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy on Tuesday in a doubleheader starting at 1 pm CT. The games will be played at Harris-Stowe State University's Stars Park.
