Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Neosho needed a sweep to have any chance of hosting come playoff time. With one week left in the conference season, the Panthers had to settle for a split, beating Allen 13-3 in the first game and losing 1-0 in the second game on Sunday. The Panthers are basically guaranteed to head out on the road come playoff time, but now the waiting game on where they'll go begins.
The first game saw Neosho get on the board first scoring 3 in the top of the 2nd. Allen answered with one of their own after an error kept the inning alive. Neosho struck again with 5 in the 4th, and 5 in the 5th to make the score 13-3, and invoke the run rule. It only took 54 pitches for starter
Jon Furlong to throw a complete game. The Panthers were led offensively by
Connor Goedert, who had a huge offensive outburst, hitting a double and a home run which drove in 5 Panther runs.
Bobby Wernes also contributed in a big way with 3 RBI's, and
Dalton Thompson added 2 RBI of his own.
The second game was the epitome of a pitchers duel. Panther Starter
Jake Johnson was brilliant, throwing six innings and only surrendering one run. He gave up 4 hits and struck out 9 in the losing effort. Allen starter Nate Arnold went the distance, holding Neosho to 3 hits for the game. Allen pushed the lone run of the game across in the 5th after back to back hits had runners on 1st and 3rd with nobody out. Johnson allowed a sacrifice fly, but limited damage, holding Allen scoreless in the 6th. Neosho attempted to rally in the 7th, as a wild pitch allowed
Colby Smith to reach, and a hit by
Bobby Wernes put runners on 1st and 2nd. After a long fly ball out by
Craig Johnson that moved pinch runner
Adam Fritts to 3rd, Wernes stole 2nd to put the go ahead run 120 feet away. Neosho wasn't able to get a clutch two out hit however, and Allen held on for the 1-0 victory.
Colby Smith led the Panthers offensively with a double in the second.
Neosho takes to the road again tomorrow with a double header at Ottawa University. The games will begin at 2:00 P.M.
