Panthers freeze Shelby County on Tuesday
Published 8:47 am Thursday, March 28, 2013
For most people, spring break consists of tropical destinations and warm weather, but for the Jemison Panthers varsity baseball team it was business as usual on Tuesday night as they played host to the Shelby County Wildcats.
Another night of frigid temperatures more suited for football than baseball could not slow down the Panthers en route to a 7-3 victory in game one of a doubleheader against the Shelby County Wildcats.
Justin Caudle and Shane Howard combined through the first two innings to shut the Wildcats down in order, along with one strikeout each.
A Cade Hatch single in the bottom of the second would lead to a run for the Panthers after an infield error by the Wildcats on a Matt Murphy ground ball.
Grant Martin would take over pitching duties for the Panthers in the top of the third allowing the first hit for the Wildcats but keeping the shutout intact.
Jacob Hatch would score Corbin Bice in the bottom of the third, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead.
After a fourth scoreless inning by the Wildcats, the Panthers pulled away in the bottom of the fourth. With Cade Hatch starting the inning off being hit by a pitch, Murphy and Daniel Eslinger added singles, scoring Hatch.
Bice would score Murphy on a single, Will Lenoir scored Eslinger on a sacrifice fly to left field, Jacob Hatch drove in Austin Broadhead on a single and Jacob Bates would drive in Bice with a single.
After a five run bottom of the fourth, the Panthers took a 7-0 lead into the top of the fifth inning.
After a Cody Jones single and a Kyle Cofer walk, a Luke Miller single to right field would drive in both runners, breaking the shutout and pulling the Wildcats to within 5.
The Wildcats would add one more run in the top of the seventh but would fall short of the Panthers, 7-3.
Jacob Hatch and Jacob Bates were both 2-of-4 at the plate for the Panthers.
Hatch had two singles and an RBI, whiles Bates had a single, double and an RBI.
Luke Miller led the way for the Wildcats going 1-for-4 with three RBI.