BASEBALL: Chester strikes last in extra-inning win over PCHS; Panthers top Massac Co.
It took two extra innings to decide Saturday morning's varsity baseball game in Pinckneyville between the Panthers and Chester, and the visiting Yellow Jackets were able to plate three runs in the top of the ninth inning to earn the 9-6 victory after being a strike away from finishing off PCHS in the bottom of the seventh.
The Panthers stuck around to force extra baseball despite registering just three hits, and only one of their six runs was scored by a batter who reached base on a hit. The two teams combined to draw 18 walks in addition to a pair PCHS batters being hit by a pitch.
The Jackets got the lead in the top of the third, scoring twice after a Pinckneyville error, two free passes, and an RBI double by Jason Schwartz. Pinckneyville got one back in the bottom half following a Trent Hicks double and a dropped fly ball in right field, and Chester led 2-1.
More walks led to more trouble for Pinckneyville starter Tyler Rulevish in the top of the fourth. An error and a single by Luke Hartman helped Chester tack a run onto their lead before the Panthers again responded in the bottom of the inning to tie it up at 3-3. Adam Banach led off with a double in front of walks to Jackson Brand and Miles Chandler, allowing Hicks to record an RBI on a ground-out in the two-run frame for PCHS.
Schwartz singled and scored in the fifth for Chester, then Hunter Howie and Jackets' starting pitcher Cody Eggemeyer had base hits in the sixth for another run, but a Pinckneyville rally was still to come in the seventh.
Clayton Houghland and Nolan Luke were hit by a pitches, Rulevish reached on an error, and with a two outs, Jacob Louis hit a bleeder on a full count pitch that found the right spot in the infield grass to score both Houghland and Rulevish.
Each team scraped across a run in the eighth, but Chester got a huge leadoff triple by Austin Welge in the top of the ninth to spark a three-run inning to put the game away. Blake Eggemeyer added a single in the Yellow Jackets' ninth.
The Panthers put two runners on in the bottom of the ninth but couldn't get anyone across.
Later in the day, the Panthers rebounded with a 10-3 victory over Massac County. Hayden Carter picked up the win on the mound for PCHS.
Luke (2-4, 3 RBI, 2B, HR), Houghland (1-2, RBI, HR) and Banach (2-3, 3 RBI, 2B) led Pinckneyville's offense against the Patriots.
The Panthers resume conference play on Monday at home against the Nashville Hornets.