It took Neosho County and Seminole State College only three and a half hours to complete Tuesday afternoon's doubleheader.
There were a combined six runs scored between both games as the teams split the twin bill.
"Tyler McGrew and Brayden Phillips did a magnificent job," Coach Steve Murry said. "Neither one deserved to lose a game."
"They are trying to get themselves up there ready for the playoffs and pitched very, very well," he added. "We just didn't get many hits to fall."
In game one, the Panthers picked up a 2-1 win.
A trio of errors in the second inning led to each team scoring runs in the frame, but Neosho County went on to record nine straight outs over the next three innings.
During that stretch, Neosho County freshman third baseman Marcus McDaniel led off the fourth with a double and later came around to score on an RBI ground out by sophomore shortstop Josh Norlin.
Over the final two innings a pair of double plays with multiple runners on for the visitors aided in the Panthers maintaining the lead.
In the seventh with Seminole State threatening, Norlin made a diving catch at short, and while still on stomach, he managed to flip the ball to second baseman Kaleb De La Torre for a double play, saving the tying run from scoring.
"It speaks volumes about Josh because he's struggled at the plate,"
Murry said. "He is capable of making that kind of defensive play instead of sitting and feeling sorry for himself all the time. There are a lot of ways to win ballgames, and he did it with his glove."
The Panthers collected four hits in the win, while McGrew went the distance for Neosho County, earning his second win of the season.
In game two, it took teams five and 2/3 innings before the scoreless tie was broken in the Panther's 3-0 loss.
In the top of the sixth, back-to-back hits put Seminole up 1-0.
In the next inning Seminole connected with a two-run home run to all but lock up the victory.
Neosho County tallied more hits than the visitors but left five runners on base.
"We saw some great pitching today," Murry explained. "Those two relievers … they threw the ball hard."
"We have to have better swings on the ball and better job when we have runners in scoring position. We were getting them there, but we couldn't get them in," he added. "That's been our problem all year."
Phillips was tagged with the loss in six innings of work. He struck out
10 and walked two.
The Panthers (18-13 overall and 7-9 in the KJCCC) will host Coffeyville
(14-18 and 6-10) on Thursday. First pitch is slated for 1 pm.
"Games like these tough ones we've been playing should prepare us for us," Murry concluded. "Coffeyville won't have that kind of pitching to throw against us. Hopefully, we'll be ready to go."
