MP ends regular season on a high

SOLON – After a couple of weeks of rough play toward the end of the regular season, the Mt. Pleasant baseball team bounced back with a big win in their final game before the postseason. Mt. Pleasant traveled to Solon on Saturday and knocked off the Spartans 3-2 in nonconference play.

Clayton Lowery scored the first run of the game in the first inning after reaching on a fielder's choice and getting to third on an error. Starting pitcher Jaxon Hoyle helped his own cause with a two-out RBI single to put the Panthers up 1-0.

The first three Spartan batters reached in the first inning but Hoyle was able to hold the home team to just one run. It was 1-1 after a full inning of play.

The Panthers regained the lead in the top of the fourth. Once again it was Lowery who came around to score after leading off the inning with a single. This time, Lowery came home on a double steal, with Chase Lamm taking second in the process.

Solon had a runner on third in the bottom of the fourth, but Hoyle was able to get the final out on a groundout to the second basemen and the Panthers went into the final three innings with a 2-1 lead.

Two innings later, Nik Coble led the sixth inning off with a double. Lowery singled him home to make it 3-1, but that's all the Panthers would get in the sixth.

Solon nearly spiked a win in the final inning. THe Spartans loaded the bases with two outs and had the heart of their order coming up. Chris McSweeney reached and scored one on an error to cut the lead to 3-2, and the Spartans were one base hit away from stealing it with three-hitter Cole Arduser coming up.

Mt. Pleasant called on Coble to come in to get the final out, relieving Hoyle after six and two-thirds innings. Coble struck Arduser out to clinch the win.

Lowery finished the game 2-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to lead the offense. Hoyle was 1-2 with an RBI and Coble went 1-2 with a double and a run scored. Lamm and Bryce Anderson also had hits in the victory.

Hoyle gave up just two runs (one earned) on six hits and five walks, striking out six batters in the process. Coble picked up the save, throwing just four pitches to get the final strikeout.

Mt. Pleasant finished the regular season 20-10. Their district opener against Clear Creek-Amana will be in Fairfield on Friday, July 19, at 5 p.m., with the Fairfield-Ft. Madison game immediately following.