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Demons rise up
Washington baseball team grabs 2 key wins over Mt. Pleasant in SEC openers
WASHINGTON — Baseball is a game of opportunity, and it was Washington who made the most of them on Tuesday night.
The Demons hosted Mt. Pleasant in a Southeast Conference opening doubleheader on Tuesday night, and Washington hung on to win both games, striking down Panther rallies for a 4-1 Game 1 victory, and a 9-8 win in Game 2.
“We knew our boys were capable of putting together games like this,” said Washington head coach Tyler Rausch. “We were just waiting for them to finally do it.”
In Game 1, the Demons capitalized on some early Panther walks to score a pair of runs in the first inning, and then tacked on two more in the third. After three innings, Washington held a 4-0 lead.
Mt. Pleasant had its chances, including a big one in the fourth inning, as the Panthers loaded the bases with nobody out. Washington starting pitcher Isaac Vetter, however, escaped the jam with a double play and a fly out, giving up just one run.
“I was able to just take a step off, take a deep breath and think 'throw strikes,’” said Vetter. “That's how you get outs.”
Mt. Pleasant had two runners on and nobody out in the seventh, bringing the potential tying run up to the plate. Again, Demon pitching came through, as reliever Luke Beenblossom worked a strikeout and a double play to finish out the win.
Washington had just three hits in Game 1. Chase Greiner went 1-for-2 with a double and three RBIs to lead the way. Ethan Patterson was 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored, and Lucas Zahs knocked in one run.
Mt. Pleasant’s Payson Coleman had the only hit for Mt. Pleasant in Game 1. Zerek Venghaus started the game on the mound for the Panthers, with Payton Walker coming in relief.
The Demons built another lead in Game 2, this time turning what was a 2-2 tie in the middle of the fourth into a 9-2 advantage with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and five more in the fifth.
Mt. Pleasant finally got things going in the ninth, when the Panthers used patients at the plate and RBIs by Jake Ensminger, J.C. Sitar and Coleman to cut the Demon lead down all the way to 9-8.
Mt. Pleasant scored the eighth run on an RBI ground out by Coleman, which was only the first out of the inning. Washington sophomore Mason Morgan got the next two Panthers out to close out Game 2.
“It was awesome to see,” said Rausch. “We're excited.”
Caleb Zieglowsky led the Demon offense, going 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Beenblossom was 1-for-2 with three RBIs, and Zahs finished 2-for-4.
Conner Layden started the game for Washington, giving up just two earned runs over four innings to earn the win. Noah Greiner gave up four runs over two frames.
Ensminger started Game 2 for the Panthers. Payton Hagans came in for one inning of relief.
Mt. Pleasant coach Brent Broeker looked at early mistakes when discussing both ballgames.
“We hit too many guys, and we walked too many guys,” Broeker said. “And when we did, they made it hurt.”
Washington moved to 2-3 overall and 2-0 in SEC play with the win. Mt. Pleasant is now 1-5 and 0-2. The Panthers will host the Demons for one game on Thursday night.
