BASEBALL: Panthers split at Goreville
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[While their bats were shut down in a 12-1 thumping in game one, Pinckneyville rallied for twelve hits in an 8-4 game two victory to salvage a split at Goreville on Saturday afternoon. Noah Hepp drove in three runs and C.J. Opp and Nolan Luke each knocked in a pair for the Panthers during the second game.
In the early contest, Blackcats right-hander Alex Andros allowed just four Pinckneyville hits while the Goreville offense pounded out a dozen off Panthers Hepp and Cole Bigham.
Justin Bumann (2-2, 3B), Joey Burris (1-2, R) and Bryant Shute (1-2, 2B) had Pinckneyville's hits in game one. Trent Hicks (0-1, RBI) added a sacrifice fly and also pitched a perfect inning of relief, striking out two.
The Panthers again fell behind in game two as Burris allowed two hits and a walk along with an error in left field to give Goreville a 2-0 lead after an inning.
Pinckneyville began their comeback when Justyn Rushing singled in the bottom of the second, then scored on a base hit by Dylan Hardin. Hepp added a two-run homer in the fourth to put the Panthers on top 3-2.
In the sixth, two leadoff walks and an error by the shortstop opened the door for a three-run inning for PCHS. Opp drove in two runs with a two-out single, then Luke plated two more in the seventh - also with a two-out base hit.
Burris settled down to go five and two-thirds, allowing five hits and three walks, hitting three batters and striking out five. Bumann relieved for the save, going the final inning and a third without allowing a baserunner (1 K).
Hepp (2-2, BB, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI), Luke (2-4, BB, R, 2 RBI) and Rushing (2-3, HBP, 2B, 2 R) each had multi-hit games in the nightcap. Hardin (1-5, RBI), Shute (1-3, 2 BB, R), Opp (1-4, 2 RBI), Burris (1-2, 2 BB), Brian Taylor (1-3, BB, R) and Lucas Carter (1-1) also hit safely.
PInckneyville (5-6) hosts Du Quoin in SIRR Mississippi action on Monday.