BASEBALL: Panthers knock off A-J on Nichols' double
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Matthew Nichols broke a 3-3 tie in the top of the seventh with an RBI double to score Dylan Hardin and Pinckneyville slipped past Anna-Jonesboro 4-3 on Thursday in Anna.
"I thought the boys did a great job of coming out ready to play, even though when we came to school, we weren't planning on playing today," said Panthers' head coach Alan Engelhardt.
The game was originally scheduled to take place on Friday, but a dismal weather forecast resulted in both schools agreeing to play the game Thursday.
"Going on the road and winning a game in our conference is a nice accomplishment, so our kids should feel good about themselves for a couple of days before we get back into games on Monday," Engelhardt added.
Pinckneyville starter Evan Chapman and Wildcats' hurler Brady Wright dueled for the first five innings without either surrendering a run.
In the top of the sixth, Adam Barczewski led off for the Panthers with a base hit, then Nichols singled to put runners at the corner for Bryant Shute. Shute knocked in Barczewski for the game's first run, then later in the inning Marian Brammerier drove in Nichols and Shute with a two-out single. Pinckneyville led 3-0, but not for very long.
Chapman allowed a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning, then committed a fielding error, setting the stage for the Wildcats to rally and tie the game at 3-3 on Chad Mayes' double.
The Panthers responded, however, as Hardin singled to lead off the seventh. Taylor Beninati sacrificed Hardin to second, and with one out Nichols doubled to bring him in for the go-ahead and eventual game-winning run.
"Doing some little things offensively really helped us to score our runs as Joey Burris and Taylor Beninati both had a couple of really nice bunts which led to 3 of our 4 runs being scored," Engelhardt said, "and then Matthew Nichols had the big RBI double in the seventh to put us ahead."
Chapman struck out the first two batters in the bottom of the seventh before getting Cody Livesay to fly out to centerfield.
"Evan Chapman did a great job of keeping us in the game today, throwing another seven solid innings," said Engelhardt. "The only runs Anna scored were because of a couple of self-inflicted wounds in the sixth when we booted a couple of balls."
Nichols (2-4, 2B, R, RBI) and Shute (2-3, BB, R, RBI) each had two-hit games for the Panthers. Barczewski (1-4, R), Brammeier (1-3, 2 RBI), Hardin (1-3, R), Brandon Long (1-3) and C.J. Opp (1-3) also had base hits.
Chapman (3-0) pickedup the victory, going the distance and striking out six while walking none, allowing 9 hits and 3 runs, but none earned.
Pinckneyville (11-3, 2-1) hosts Nashville on Monday at Rigdon Field (4:30 p.m.).