By JIM LUTGENS
Sports Editor
All things considered, last week was not a bad one for the NRHEG High School baseball team. Especially when you consider the Panthers have a first-year head coach and a squad with no seniors.
That didn't seem to matter last Tuesday as the Panthers traveled to Blue Earth Area and toughed out a 4-3 victory.
"The last couple of days of base- ball could not be any more fun and exciting!" said NRHEG coach Shawn Larson. "We were walked off yesterday in extra innings, and today we were able to close out a one-run game in the seventh inning."
It was close most of the day. The Panthers led 3-0 after the top of the sixth inning, but the Bucs scored three in their at-bat to tie it.
The Panthers scored the winning run in the top of the seventh, when Carter Martens delivered a clutch two-out single to drive in Alden Dobberstein.
Martens, Dobberstein and Devon Parpart collected one hit apiece as the Panthers capitalized on seven Blue Earth Area fielding miscues. Dobberstein had two RBIs, Martens and Brooks Gilliland one apiece. Parpart stole three bases, one more than Dobberstein and Jared Lee.
Gilliland started on the mound and got the win. He gave up thre earned runs on three hits through 5 2/3 innings, striking out three and walking five. Parpart pitched 1 1/3 inning of hitless relief. NRHEG had only one error.
"We were able to take advantage of a couple of errors early in the first inning," said Coach Larson. "The game remained a tight, fun game with both teams having opportuni- ties. Our team is really coming around and I could not be any prouder. I am especially proud of freshman Brooks Gilliland who got the start pitching for us today. We are currently running short of avail- able pitchers due to having four games in a short span. Brooks was fantastic, sticking to the strike zone and the defense had his back!"
The Panthers 10-runned visiting United South Central 13-3 in five innings Thursday.
"For the third time this week, we were in a close exciting game for the first four innings," said Larson.
As luck would have it, NRHEG got into a rhythm with the bats and combined that with some defensive errors by the Rebels, plating nine runs in the bottom of the fifth to end it early.
Four Panthers had a multi-hit game. Dobberstein was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs, A.Deen 2- for-4 with an RBI, Martens 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Jordan Brouwers 2- for-2 with two RBIs. Adding one hit each were Lee, Jace Ihrke, Gilliland and Seth Staloch.
Lee, a left-hander, pitched all five innings, allowing one earnd run on four htis, with six strikeouts and three walks.
The Panthers had two errors, USC one.
According to Larson, the Panthers have played better because they've hit the ball better.
"We had 12 hits in this game, which is a major reason we had bet- ter results than we have been hav- ing," said Larson. "We are really starting to get moving in the right direction."
The Panthers traveled to Truman Friday and took a 12-1 nonconference loss to Madelia-Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain.
The Panthers managed only one hit, a single by Aaden Hanna They struck out seven times, walked twice and had six fielding errors. Hanna started and took the pitching loss, with Wyatt Larson throwing an inning in relief.
"Today was a day showing that we are young and inexperienced compared to some teams," said Coach Larson. "We had too many errors tonight. That combined with them hitting where we weren’t, and us striking out or hitting the ball right to the defense. It is safe to say that we are capable of playing better than that. Hopefully we can use next week to get back in the groove."
The Panthers return to action at Waseca Thursday, April 18 for a 5 p.m. nonconference game. They host Blooming Prairie Monday, April 22 at 4:30.