By JIM LUTGENS
Editor/Publisher
It wasn’t a stellar week for the NRHEG baseball team.
But it wasn’t bad.
The Panthers went 2-2 during the past week, defeating Medford 12-6 Monday, May 6 and Randolph 8-2 the next day. They went on to fall 10-0 to WEM on Thursday and 19-15 to Maple River at Legion Field Saturday.
Coach Jeff Reese’s Panthers are 3-5 in the Gopher Conference and 3-6 overall.
NRHEG 12, Medford 6
The Panthers started the week on the right foot, handling Medford at Legion Field.
Nic Mangskau pitched a solid game, giving up three earned runs on five hits, with seven strikeouts and five walks.With the score tied 6-6 after five innings, the Panthers put it away in the bottom of the sixth, scoring six two-out runs. According to Reese, timely hitting, a crucial error and some wildness on the part of Medford’s pitcher contributed to the big inning.
Dillon Parpart led offensively, going 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Dakota Thiele had a double and two RBIS. Trevor Tracy, Brad Claycomb and Johnny White added one hit apiece.
NRHEG 8, Randolph 2
Parpart pitched a complete game and the Panthers backed him with solid defense as the home team prevailed at Legion Field for their first back-to-back wins of the season.
Parpart allowed three earned runs on eight hits. He struck out nine and walked five. He also played a part offensively in the third inning when he walked, stole second, third and home.
Claycomb was 3-for-4, Mangskau 2-for-4. Adding a hit apiece were Casey Rosacker, White, Zach Haberman and Matt Jensen.
WEM 10, NRHEG 0
The highlights were few for the visiting Panthers, who collected only three hits at Waterville, a double by Thiele and singles by Claycomb and Mangskau.
Kevin Minter started on the mound and gave up seven earned runs in 3 2/3 innings. Tracy finished up on the mound for NRHEG.
“We got behind 4-0 after one inning and never recovered,” said Reese. “Nolan Grose, WEM’s pitcher, kept our hitters off balance.”
Maple River 19, NRHEG 15
The wind was blowing out on a cold Saturday morning at Legion Field as the Panthers dropped a nonconference slugfest.
“There were a lot of misjudged fly balls by both teams and ‘goofy’ plays,” said Reese.
Down by 12 runs in the final inning, the Panthers rallied to score eight runs, many with two outs. The game ended with Panthers on second and third.
Five Panthers had a multi-hit game. Nick Bartness was 2-for-3 with two doubles and two runs scored, Parpart 2-for-3 with a double, Minter 2-for-4 and Tracy 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs. Mangskau, Dillon Kubiatowicz and freshman Trey Hoppe — making his varsity debut — contributed one hit each.
Tracy started on the mound and went 3 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs (five earned). Rosacker pitched the next three innings, giving up 11 runs (nine earned). Jensen finished on the mound for NRHEG.