John Bruce, Staff Writer
Southern Ohio Sports Authority is presented by OhioHealth.
CHILLICOTHE – For the seventh time in their last nine games, the Southeastern Panthers were involved in a game decided by one run.
Tapping into that close-game experience, the Panthers (12-8) were able to use a mix of pitching, defense and a bit of risk-taking to earn a hard fought 3-2 win over TVC-Hocking champion, Eastern Meigs.
After a nine-pitch inning sat the Eagles (13-8) down in the order in the top of the first inning, Southeastern was able to strike first in the bottom half.
With one out, Coleton Baxter singled to center before Gage Cheadle and Carson McWhorter worked walks to load the bases. With two outs, C.J. Huff smashed a hard-hit ball to third, which was booted and led to two runs scoring for the Panthers — making it 2-0 early.
CREDIT: Brock Netter/SOSA
The top of the second was nearly a disaster for the Panthers, after a controversial one-out walk to Lane Atha gave the Eagles their first baserunner of the contest. On the next pitch, Hunter Needs roped a one-hopper past the drawn-in first baseman for the Panthers, deflecting off of Atha and into the outfield.
With the first bit of trouble of the game facing him, Southeastern’s Brayden Burns settled in and induced a grounder to Cheadle, who flipped to McWhorter for the first out. McWhorter then sent a laser to Landon Brown at first to complete the much needed 6-4-3 double play, ending the threat.
For the Eagles, starter Braxton Yonker was able to settle in after a leadoff walk to start the second.
Eastern turned a double play after a line drive to Ethan Edwards at shortstop, who quickly fired it to first to double up the baserunner. Yonker was able to work around a two-out error, getting a soft grounder to Edwards for a fielder’s choice to end the inning.
Eastern’s best chance for a big inning came in the third.
Trace Barnett smoked a two-out pitch off the glove of a leaping McWhorter and into short center field. With a runner already on second, it appeared that the Eagles would break through, but Southeastern’s Gabe Oates quickly collected the base hit before the runner could advance.
During the next at-bat, as Barnett scampered for second on a 1-1 pitch, Southeastern’s catcher, Baxter, came up firing to second, where he hit Cheadle shortly behind the pitcher’s mound. As Cheadle turned to throw back to Baxter to try and catch the base runner off of third, he was able to adjust and throw to third instead, where Huff easily applied the tag and ended the inning.
In the fourth, Burns walked the bases loaded with two outs, but came up with the biggest pitch of the game to eliminate Eastern’s largest threat.
On a 2-2 pitch, Burns painted the inside corner with a fastball at the knees to catch the batter looking and keep his Panthers in front.
Southeastern’s defense came up big again in the fifth, with Baxter throwing out his second base runner of the game, this time being in a more traditional way. With one out and a 2-0 count, the Eagles broke for second base, but the senior backstop cut down the runner with a throw to Cheadle for the tag at the bag.
Baxter opened the bottom half of the fifth by smoking a 2-1 fastball into center field for his 100th career hit.
Cheadle followed with a walk and eventually made his way to third, following a sacrifice and a fielder’s choice that cut down a possible third run for the Panthers. With two outs, McWhorter broke for second and on the throw to second, Cheadle broke home. Similar to the execution that Southeastern pulled off an inning earlier, the Eagles cut the throw off, but Cheadle kept breaking for the plate. As Cheadle dove home, the throw got away and the Panthers had successfully pulled off the daring double steal to take a 3-0 lead.
Eastern finally took advantage of a chance to score in the sixth, with Edwards scoring on a wild pitch with two outs, following an uncharacteristic error from the Panthers infield. After Edwards scored, Trey Mugrage worked a walk to load the bases with two outs, giving Eastern a chance to tie the game, or even take the lead.
However, Burns pounded the strike zone to the following batter, getting a fly ball to mid-right field, where Isaiah Cosby cooly collected the fly to end the inning.
In the seventh, Edwards lined a two-out pitch to right field to score Barnett and cut SE’s lead to 3-2.
With one of the more dangerous baserunners in the Southeast District on first to represent the tying run, Burns was able to draw a first-pitch groundball to Cheadle, who easily tossed to McWhorter at second for the game-ending fielder’s choice, sealing a huge win for the Panthers.
Burns earned the win with a complete game effort, scattering six hits, allowing only one earned run, while walking six and striking out a pair of Eagles. Baxter went 2-for-3 at the dish for the Panthers and also threw out a pair of base runners. Cheadle reached base three times, scoring twice and successfully converting all seven defensive chances in the game.
Yonker picked up the hard-luck loss for the Eagles, going five innings and allowing three hits and only one earned run. He walked four and struck out three Panthers on the evening. Edwards reached base in three of his four plate appearances, scoring once and knocking in a run as well.
Southeastern is back in action on Thursday evening, traveling to Ironton St. Joe to end their regular season slate, while the Eagles next host Meigs on Friday night.
SPONSORS
VINTON COUNTY NATIONAL BANK
CHILLICOTHE COMFORT HEATING & COOLING
