The Neosho County baseball team opened Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference action with a mixed bag of results.The Panthers split the first two games of the four-game series Thursday afternoon against the Labette Community College Cardinals.
 In game one, Labette hit a three-run blast to claim a 9-8 victory in walk-off fashion. With an 8-4 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, Labette scored five runs in only a 1/3 of inning to hand Neosho County its first loss of the season. The Panthers scored their first run in the top of the first, and by the time fifth inning rolled around, Neosho County held a comfortable 8-1 advantage. Labette responded with three in the bottom of the fifth and capped it off with five in the seventh.
Sophomore pitcher Tyler Mitzel took the loss, going the distance for the Panthers. He struck out six and walked one in 6 1/3 innings. Offensively, freshmen third baseman Brylie Ware and outfielder Aaron Dees went 2-for-2 at the plate, recording four of the team's seven hits.
 In game two, after three scoreless innings, Labette scored first in the bottom of the fourth. In the top of the next inning, freshman catcher Cooper Minnick opened the frame with a walk. That led to four Panther runs on three hits. Neosho County added one more in the sixth in the 5-3 victory. Ware tallied two more hits in the nine-inning contest, while first baseman Ryan Toliver added two more. Freshman Mason Knopp went six innings to record the win. Sophomore Drew Johnson earned his first save of the season, forcing a game-ending groundout.
 The Panthers (11-1 overall and 1-1 in the KJCCC) will host Labette (8-4 and 1-1) at Hudson Field on Saturday. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1 pm.
