BASEBALL: Panthers hold on to top ZRC
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Panthers built a 9-0 lead but had to fight off a late charge from the ZRC Tornadoes before holding on for a 10-5 road win behind the pitching of C.J. Opp and Evan Chapman and contributions throughout the lineup.
"We did a really nice job of building a lead over the first four innings, but we relaxed after that," said PCHS head baseball coach Alan Engelhardt. "We still need to put people away when we have the chance."
Bryant Shute, Joey Burris and Opp each had RBI hits in a five-run first for Pinckneyville. The Panthers tacked on three more in the third when Chapman singled and Noah Hepp doubled to drive in runs, then Marian Brammeier's sacrifice fly made it 8-0.
Burris added a sac fly in the fourth to score Dylan Hardin before ZRC finally got on the board in the bottom of the frame with an RBI double - the only hit Opp (3-4) allowed in his four innings of work. The lefty struck out five and walked just one.
"I thought this was the most command C.J. has pitched with the entire year, so that was good to see," said Engelhardt. "We had planned to split the game before we started so we could line starters up later in the week, so we pulled him after four (innings)."
Chapman came on in relief, and errors and a two-run double cut the lead to 9-5 in the sixth before the right-hander retired five of the last six hitters of the game.
Shute led the way on offense for Pinckneyville with a perfect 5-for-5 at the dish. He doubled twice, scored once and had an RBI.
Hardin (2-4, SAC, 2 R, RBI), Burris (2-4, SAC, 2 R, 2 RBI), Opp (2-2, 2 2B, 2 BB, 2 RBI), Hepp (2-4, 2B, RBI), Chapman (1-3, HBP, R, RBI) and Chaz Ruffino (1-4, R) also had hits for the Panthers.
"Bryant Shute and C.J. Opp stayed hot at the plate and we had several people chip in again," Engelhardt said. "Hopefully this can start a good week for us and get us some momentum heading into regional week."
PCHS (14-13) hosts West Frankfort at Rigdon Field on Wednesday.