If not for the first inning, the NRHEG baseball team might have kept it close at Waterville-Elysian-Morristown on Monday.
But the first inning was a rough one.
The Bucs plated eight runs on four hits, six walks, an error and hit batsman and went on to beat the Panthers 15-5 in five innings. NRHEG fell to 0-2 after opening the season against teams favored to compete for the conference title.
Sophomore Cole Staloch provided the highlights for the Panthers, going 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, two runs scored and an RBI. Palmer Peterson was 2-for-2, John Hubly 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and two RBIs. Sam Prigge singled.Junior Jack Schultz started and took the pitching loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits, with eight walks and one strikeout. Eli Lutgens relieved him in the fourth.
Taylor Glende pitched five innings for the win, giving up five earned runs on six hits, fanning six and walking one.
WEM improved to 2-1.
The Panthers struggled defensively, dropping an infield popup to start the first inning and committing five errors on the night.
The Panthers play Friday at 4:30 at Albert Lea.