Panthers win one of two over crucial stretch

A pivotal two-game stretch for the Pekin baseball team has come to an end with the Panthers still very much alive in the conference race.

The Panthers kept their hopes alive in the north division of the Southeast Iowa Superconference with a 6-0 win over Mediapolis on Monday before falling by the same score, 6-0, at Highland Tuesday.

Pekin currently sits in third place in the SEISC north with an 8-8 overall record and 6-3 conference mark. Highland and Louisa-Muscatine are tied for first with two conference losses each.

?[Tuesday] would?ve been a huge win for us in the conference race, but if we play our cards right and take care of business, I think we?ll be okay and be right there,? said Pekin head coach Jeff Eeling.

In Monday?s game, Josh Sterling picked up the win from the mound, and it might have been the best showing Eeling has seen from his senior yet.

?It was maybe as good a pitching performance I?ve seen out of him,? said Eeling. ?He really kept his composure well. He has let [the fans] affect him in the past but didn?t this time. He was spot on.?

Sterling gave up just one hit and struck out six in the seven-inning outing.

Bailey Donovan led from the plate on 2-for-2 hitting with an RBI, and Tater Clubb and Tyson Lamb both had a double.

Eeling saved some praise for junior Wyatt Sharp, who came through with a bunt single in the fifth inning to score one run.

?For him to get that down, I was really impressed with him,? said Eeling. ?It was a tight situation and his hit proved to be the dagger.?

In Tuesday?s loss, Pekin was unable to solve Highland?s starter and tallied just two hits. Lamb smacked a double and Derek Morales had the other hit, a single.

?Their pitcher has a real nice curveball and has a lot of confidence in it,? Eeling said. ?We were kind?ve chasing the fastball that was up and then he dropped the curveball against us.?

Clubb took the loss Tuesday, tossing six innings of nine-hit ball. Clubb fanned six.

Pekin hosts Eddyville-Blakesburg in non-conference play today. JV is set to get under way at 1 p.m. with varsity to follow.