Mt. Pleasant baseball and softball swept

MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant baseball and softball teams were each tagged with a pair of losses at the hands of Burlington on Thursday night. The baseball team lost 18-2 and 13-3. The softball team fell 21-1 and 11-1.

The Panther baseball team had a rough start to Game 1. Burlington scored five runs in the first inning, and the Panthers never led. Burlington held an 8-2 lead after three innings and then added 10 in the fifth to end the game two innings early via the 10-run rule.

Mt. Pleasant had just two hits in the baseball opener. Colton Hutson was 1-for-3 with an RBI, and Cooper Keldgord went 1-for-2.

Carter Amos, Zerek Venghaus and Sawyer Carrasco all saw the mound. Venghaus got the vast majority of outs, giving up 10 runs (eight earned) on eight runs and seven hits over 4⅓ innings.

Game 2 appeared to be going Mt. Pleasant’s way in Game 2. Dalton Gardner knocked in a couple runs in the first inning, and Mt. Pleasant led 2-0 until the top of the fourth inning.

Burlington eventually took the lead with a four-run third, and stretched the advantage to 6-2 by the end of the sixth inning. The Panthers surrendered their third-straight five-plus run inning of the night when the Grayhounds put up eight in the seventh to pull away.

“There’s always those couple of innings, like we’re just waiting on someone to put runs on us,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Brent Broeker. “We’re right in these games. We just have to figure out a way to compete every inning instead of just five of the seven innings.”

Gardner finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Chase Williamson had the team’s only other hit.

Cooper Keldgord had a strong start, giving up just six runs (two earned) on eight hits and five walks, while striking out three batters. Trevor Wellington gave up eight runs (seven earned) in two innings of relief.

Big innings sink Panther softball

A 14-run second inning sent the Burlington softball team cruising past Mt. Pleasant in a three-inning Game 1. Despite the loss, Grace Kelley went 2-for-2.

The Panthers and Grayhounds were all tied up after three innings in Game 2. Madison Helling started the back end in the circle and had Burlington off balance early, but the Grayhound bats eventually caught up.

Burlington scored four runs in the top of the fourth to take the lead. Mt. Pleasant scored one in the fourth, but the Grayhounds finally busted out in the fifth, scoring seven.

“I think it showed the girls the level they can play at,” said Mt. Pleasant softball coach Mike Beason. “We’ve got to stay together pitching-wise and defense-wise. It takes both.”

Kelley had another big game at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles in the Game 2 loss. Helling knocked in one run.