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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Jemison High School lost two late leads to Prattville Christian Academy in their doubleheader at home on Feb. 27. The Panthers fell 12-5 in game one and 5-4 in game two.

“We just have to learn how to finish,” Jemison coach Jason Easterling said. “They played hard the whole game … We are getting a little better every day, which is kind of our goal now is just to get better every day.”

Jemison had their way with PCA in game one holding a 4-0 lead going into the fourth inning. The Panthers led 5-2 needing just three outs to close the game and secure the win. However, PCA erupted and scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to take a 12-5 lead.

Lane Pate went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a walk to lead the Jemison offense. Guyton Pace, Daniel Flores, Tucker Bean, London Colton and Hunter Scott all had one hit each. Bean and Flores’ went for doubles. Colton had two RBIs and Trenton Gaines and Tyler Porter each knocked in a run for an RBI. Pace, Scott and Colton all stole a base in game one as well.

In game two, Pate started on the bump for the Panthers and hurled a gem through the first five innings giving JHS a 4-1 lead. Pate got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the fourth inning to preserve the lead.

“Lane pitched pretty well last night,” Easterling said. “It is going to take every one and lean on all of them, and we really have not played enough games yet.”

However, in the sixth inning PCA got to Pate for three runs to tie the game at four apiece. Pate exited the game throwing five and two-thirds innings giving up six hits, four earned runs and three strikeouts.

PCA pushed across a run in the top of the seventh to get its second comeback win of the evening.

Pace, Flores, Pate, Scott and Alex Bice all recorded a hit in game two with Bice going for a double. Pate had two RBIs.

“The main thing is we need to learn how to finish (games),” Easterling said.

Jemison travels to PCA for its next matchup on March 3 at 6 p.m.