Big inning propels Panthers
BENTON – Taking on the Malvern Leopards in nonconference play Thursday, the Benton Panthers used a 6-run fourth inning to pull away in an eventual 11-4 win at Everett Field at Panther Stadium in Benton. It was Benton’s third straight win to improve the Panthers to 7-5 overall, still 2-0 in 5A Central Conference play.
The Leopards would
strike first in the top of the second inning coming through with a two-out RBI single for the early 1-0 lead, but the Panthers would not take long to respond. In the next half inning, Benton junior Ethan Perry reached on an error, senior Caleb Sollars singled and junior Dawson Turner was hit by a pitch to load the bases before junior
Jake Jones’ fly out to centerfield was mishandled for an error allowing Perry to cross the plate and tie things at 1-all. Sollars scored on junior Jake Green’s sacrifice fly for the 2-1 lead after two.
After Benton senior starter Aidan Garrett’s 1-2-3 inning in the top of the third, Garrett singled to start the bottom of the inning. Senior courtesy runner Karsyn Buchannan was caught stealing before junior Andrew Armstrong singled, went to third on an error and scored on Perry’s double to left for the 3-1 ballgame. Sollars singled in Perry to make it 4-2 after three.
It was the fourth in which Benton broke it open. Sophomores Jack Woolbright and Brooks Lane were issued walks. The runners moved up a bag on Garrett’s ground out with Woolbright scoring on a passed ball and Lane on a wild pitch to make it a 6-1 game.
Armstrong walked and Perry was hit by a pitch before Sollars doubled a run in, with Turner tripling in another two for the 9-1 lead. Jones made it 10-1 after four innings with a sac fly.
The Leopards picked up two runs in the fifth with a Sollars RBI ground out in the bottom of the inning making it 11-3, and Malvern added one more in the seventh to set the final score.
Garrett pitched well to earn the win giving up three runs (one earned) on three hits and one walk, striking out six in five innings pitched. Turner gave up a run on two hits and two walks, striking out two in two innings of relief.
At the plate, Sollars finished 3 for 4 with three RBIS, with Turner going 1 for 2 with two RBIS. Perry scored three times with an RBI while going 1 for 3, with Garrett, Armstrong and Woolbright adding a hit.
The Panthers get a break, not playing again until after spring break on Monday,
March 29, hosting the Sheridan Yellowjackets at 5 p.m.