It doesn’t look like the NRHEG Panthers will play much baseball this week, and there wasn’t much played last week.
The Panthers got two games in, falling 14-6 to Medford on Monday and 6-1 to Randolph Tuesday. Both were played at Legion Field.
On Monday the Panthers flirted with their first win of the year, leading 6-4 after four innings, but Medford knotted it in the fifth and broke it open with eight runs in the sixth.
Trevor Tracy was 3-for-3 for the Panthers, scoring once and driving two runs. Grand Kyllo was 2-for-3 and scored a run. Dillon Parpart collected two RBIs and scored a run on one hit. Matt Jensen and Dillon Kubiatowicz also hit safely.
Parpart started on the mound for NRHEG, giving up six earned runs on seven hits, with six strikeouts and eight walks. Matt Jensen pitched the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing six earned runs on six hits, fanning three and walking two.“It was a back and forth game,” said Panthers coach Pat Churchill. “We struggled to get outs in the sixth inning. We walked a couple batters and they put the ball in play to take advantage.”
Aaron Chappius led Medford, pitching a complete game, hitting a home run and driving in four runs.
It was close for most of the way Tuesday, with Randolph holding a 2-1 edge after six innings before scoring four times in the seventh.
“This was a well pitched, well defended, tight game for six innings,” said Churchill. “I thought we played well defensively and did a better job getting runnings on base today, but were unable to get the hit with runners in scoring position.”
Tracy started and pitched well, throwing three scoreless innings to start the game. He finished with nine strikeouts and one walk, allowing one earned run on nine hits.
Offensively: Dakota Thiele 2-for-4; Jensen 2-for-3; Tracy 1-for-4; Parpart 1-for-3; Jet Wayne 1-for-3; Kubiatowicz 1-for-3; Carson Field 1-for-2.
The Panthers got bad news Friday when sophomore starting pitcher Dempsey Tucker sustained a broken left arm diving for a ball in practice.