After sweeping the first two games of their Jayhawk Conference series with Fort Scott, the Panthers were forced to settle for a split on Monday as they won game one of the double header 8-0 before falling in the final game 16-9. Neosho County moves to 14-8 overall and 8-4 in conference play while Fort Scott goes to 17-5 overall and 7-5 in the conference.
Game 1
Panther starting pitcher Matt Strahm allowed three hits over the first two innings of work before settling down and holding the Greyhounds at bay the rest of the day. Strahm would retire the final 10 hitters he faced after a walk in the fifth inning. He picked up his third win of the season tossing a complete game shutout allowing only four hits and a walk while striking out seven.
The Panthers were able to jump on the Greyhounds early in the ballgame as they scored three runs in the bottom of the first to give Strahm a cushion to pitch with. A pair of singles with two outs by Garrett Schaede and Tyler Palmer would plate the first three runs of the day for the Panthers.
After going scoreless inning in the second, the Panthers would add three more runs in the bottom of the third. After Caleb Compton
singled to lead off the inning, Adam Giacalone would blast his team leading fifth homerun of the season. Garrett Schaede would score on a wild pitch after reaching base on an error to finish the scoring in the inning.
Jonathan Pomatto and Eric Dawson would each drive in a run in the sixth inning to put the game well out of reach. Eight Panther hitters collected a hit in the ballgame, while 6 different hitters drove in runs in the contest.
Game 2
Fort Scott would get a measure of revenge in the final game of the series as they would score 16 runs on 15 hits while collecting eight walks in the ballgame. The biggest hit of the game would belong to Fort Scott centerfielder Jordan Stull as he would blast a grand slam in the sixth to extend the Greyhound lead and put the game out of reach.
After falling behind 4-1 after one inning, the Panthers would battle back to take the lead after scoring five in the bottom of the second. Panther starting pitcher would toss a pair of zeros in the second and third inning before running into trouble again in the fourth. A two out three run homerun off the bat of Gavin Stark would give the Greyhounds a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
The Panther bullpen struggled in the series finale as they allowed nine runs on six hits while walking six over the final four innings of baseball. Freshman Ethan Ericson and Stephen Williams were each effective late for the Panthers as they combined to toss 2.2 innings of scoreless relief.
A two run homerun in the eighth off the bat of Austen Colt would cut the Greyhound lead to seven, but it was too little too late as that would be all the offense the Panthers could muster.
The loss snapped a season long six game winning streak. The Panthers will be back in action Wednesday March 23 as the host Baker University JV for a pair of non-conference games. First pitch Wednesday is scheduled for 1:00 pm. The games can be heard on ESPN Radio 1460 as well as online at http://kkoy.com/
