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BASEBALL: Burris, Shute lead PCHS past Trico

Posted April 12, 2012 11:00 pm

Doug Daniels

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Bryant Shute had three hits and Joey Burris pitched a complete game in addition to driving in a pair of runs as Pinckneyville won for the second day in a row on Wednesday, taking care of Trico 8-2 at Rigdon Field.

Burris allowed just three hits on the hill, walked two batters, hit another and struck out ten to get the victory.

"Joey Burris threw the ball really well for us again today and that is the foundation of winning baseball games," said Panthers head baseball coach Alan Engelhardt. "Our defense was good behind him as well, only making a couple of miscues in the sixth inning."

After a double-play erased a leadoff walk to Hunter Queen, the Panthers started a two-out rally in the bottom of the first when Shute singled, stole second, then took third on a wild pitch. Burris brought him in with an RBI single, and C.J. Opp made it 2-0 with a double to left-centerfield.

Shute and Trent Hicks had base hits during a three-run second inning for PCHS where the Panthers took advantage of two costly errors by the Pioneers.

Hicks drove in Opp (BB) in the third to make it 6-0 before Trico got three hits off Burris in the fourth to cut into the lead.

The offense got it right back for Pinckneyville in the top of the fourth, and Burris settled down to strike out four and not allow a run over the last three innings.

"We did a better job today of hitting the ball to the opposite field and up the middle instead of just trying to pull everything," said Engelhardt. "We need to continue to work on our weaknesses and focus on our pitching and defense and we can continue to improve."

Shute (3-4, 2 R, RBI), Hicks (2-3, R, RBI), Burris (1-3, SF, R, 2 RBI) and Opp (1-2, 2B, BB, RBI) had hits for PCHS. Brian Taylor (0-2, R, RBI) also drove in a run.

The Panthers (7-7, 1-3) are off on Thursday before traveling to Carterville on Friday afternoon.

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