BASEBALL: Panthers rebound by shutting out Okawville
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[Pinckneyville rebounded from an opening day loss to Mt. Vernon by shutting out Okawville on the road Friday 7-0 behind stellar pitching from C.J. Opp and Hunter Queen.
"We did a nice job of doing the little things that win you ballgames today," said PCHS head baseball coach Alan Englehardt. "Our defense was very solid, only committing one error again, and I thought that we really did a tremendous job of running the bases."
The Panthers scattered their seven runs over five different innings, starting as Brandon Long scored on a fielder's choice by Opp after singling to start the game.
Noah Hepp walked and scored on a wild pitch in the second inning, then Bryant Shute singled and scored in the third.
Dylan Hardin walked to lead off the fourth, then scored on a throwing error that left Taylor Beninati safe at third base before he eventually came home on a ball that got past the Rockets' catcher.
Long singled and scored again in the sixth, and Shute came across after reaching on an error for the seventh run.
"Brandon Long and Bryant Shute both had good days at the plate, but aside from them, we really didn't hit the ball all that well," Engelhardt said. "However, because we were aggressive on the bases and made some things happen, we were able to keep tacking on runs."
Shute was 3-for-4 at the dish with a pair of runs scored, Long also scored twice, going 2-for-3 with a walk at the plate. Hepp and Justin Bumann got the other hits for PCHS.
The story for the Panthers, though, was pitching. Opp went five innings, allowing just four hits and no walks while striking out seven to pick up the victory. Queen threw two scoreless innings of relief, striking out four Rockets and pitching around four hits.
"If we can continue to pitch and defend well, we will have success, because as we get more at bats against live pitching, we will swing it better," Engelhardt said.
Pinckneyville (1-1) will play twice this Wednesday, hosting Seneca at 3:00 p.m. and Hamilton County at 7:00 p.m. under the lights at Rigdon Field.