The Grundy County Panthers picked up a season-opening victory in dramatic fashion on Monday, defeating visiting Milan 13-11 in Galt.
With the game an offensive slugfest, the time limit would come into play in the sixth inning. Grundy trailed by one entering the bottom of the sixth, what would be the last at bat for the home side. The Panthers loaded the bases before tying the game on a bases loaded walk by Corbin Axtell. Brett Otto followed, delivering the knock out blow to Milan with a two-run single. That ended the game as the Panthers walked off winners by the 13-11 final.
The game featured seven lead changes as both offenses piled up hits and runs throughout the night.
Grundy was led by Otto, who was 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs scored, a stolen base and two walks. Axtell was 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBIs, a steal and two walks and Mason Rayl was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and a base on balls. Cooper Coffman had a hit, two steals and two RBIs for the Panthers in the win.
Grundy had just seven hits in the game but walked 16 times to help keep up offensively.
On the hill both schools struggled. Axtell started for Grundy, going three and two-thirds innings with seven runs allowed, six earned, on five hits, three of which were home runs. He walked just three, however, and struck out nine in the win. Aiden Rains was the winning pitcher for Grundy, following Axtell with two and one-third innings pitched. He yielded four runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out three.
The win established a 1-0 start to the season for the Panthers. Grundy was scheduled to be back on the diamond on Thursday, traveling to Novinger for action, and the Panthers will be at home tonight (Friday), hosting Bevier. The first pitch in Galt is scheduled for 5 o’clock.
PRINCETON 12
HAMILTON 0
The Princeton Tigers roared to 2-0 on the season on Monday behind a dominating pitching performance from Landon Krohn.
Krohn fired a five-inning complete-game shutout as the Tigers picked up a 12-0 victory over visiting Hamilton in their home opener in Princeton.
Krohn navigated the five shutout innings, issuing just one hit and two walks while striking out 12. He threw 78 pitches in the win, putting 49 over for strikes.
While Krohn’s pitching was the dominant storyline, The Tigers’ offense was nearly equally as impressive, scoring 12 runs on seven hits and six walks.
Gavin Power belted a home run to highlight a 2-for-3 day at the plate. In addition to the home run, Power doubled, drove in four runs and scored twice. Talan Holt was 2-for-2 at the plate, adding two runs scored and an RBI. Krohn had one hit in the game, a double, and scored twice while driving in one run.
Princeton also got a hit, two runs and an RBI from Mason Morris.
The Tigers improved to 2-0 on the season. Princeton was scheduled to host Trenton on Thursday in the Grand River Conference opener for both schools. The Tigers will be in the Mustang Round Robin Tournament in Hopkins on Saturday. The Tigers will take on East Atchison and host North Nodaway at the event.
TRI-COUNTY 8
BUCKLIN/MACON COUNTY 7
Freshman Justin Chadwick couldn’t have picked a better time to collect his first career high school hit.
He was inserted into the game Monday night with his Tri-County Mustangs, playing is a cooperative agreement with Gallatin, trailing 6-2 on the road at Bucklin-Macon County.
All Chadwick did in his first high school at bat was belt a grand slam, highlighting a six-run sixth inning for the Mustangs.
From down 6-0, to up 8-6, Tri-County weathered one final Bucklin run to pick up an 8-7 victory and level their season record at 1-1.
Chadwick’s slam was the only extra-base hit of the night for Tri-County, which collected seven hits total in the game. The Mustangs’ patience at the plate paid off, however, as the team drew 10 walks in the contest.
Chadwick was officially 1-for-1 on the night with the grand slam home run and four RBIs. Will Johnson was 1-for-3 with a run scored and two RBIs. Tri-County also got two hits and an RBI from Johnathan Baldwin and two runs each from Keaton Norman and Grayson Allen.
Tri-County used four different pitchers in the game. Boston Bell started and threw two scoreless frames, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out three. Johnson allowed six runs, five earned on five hits and two walks while striking out two in the third inning. Owen Waterbury went the next three and two-thirds innings, giving up one run on four hits and two walks while striking out five. He wound up being the winning pitcher and Garrett Skinner retired the final batter of the game to earn the save.
Tri-County was slated to travel to East Harrison on Thursday and the Mustangs will be at home on Monday, playing host to Hamilton in Jamesport. The first pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.