Mt. Pleasant drops two against Burlington

BURLINGTON — The Mt. Pleasant baseball team has been in a bit of a slump this past week.

With six games on the schedule, it was a busy one.

The Panthers began the week splitting with Southeast Conference foe Keokuk, followed by a loss to Oskaloosa.

On Thursday, the Panthers faced their toughest test yet with a matchup against the SEC leaders, the Burlington Grayhounds at Community Field.

It was a tough night for the Panthers, as the Grayhounds walked away with a pair of wins 10-0 and 9-1.

Burlington started hot in game one and stayed that way.

The Grayhounds scored four runs in the first inning and added three more over the next three innings to make in 7-0.

Mt. Pleasant struggled at the plate, as Burlington allowed just three hits in the five innings played.

The Panthers hung on for as long as they would, but the Grayhounds added three additional runs in the fifth to end game one.

Cooper Keldgord, Jake Ensminger and Payton Hagans each had a hit.

Zerek Venghaus threw from the hill in the loss.

Burlington didn’t let up in the second.

The Grayhounds took a 2-0 lead after the first inning and added three to their total, 5-0, after a three-run blast to left field.

“Those guys did a real great job of battling at the plate,” Mt. Pleasant head coach Brent Broeker said. “We threw a little different method at them. Which in innings we were effective, but when you got seasoned juniors and seniors it’s gonna be a battle for anyone who pitches against them.”

In the top of the third, the Panthers were able to get a run.

With one out, Ensminger drew a walk. After a balk from the Greyhounds' pitcher, Ensminger moved to second. With Keldgord at the plate and a wild pitch, Ensminger was able to find his way home all the way from second.

It was the Panthers lone run on the night.

Burlington added two more in the fourth off an RBI single and a walk with the bases loaded. After a scoreless fifth, the Grayhounds scored two once again off a pair of singles.

Mt. Pleasant could never get the bats going again.

Ensminger started on the mound for the Panthers, pitching four innings and Trevor Wellington closed it out in two.

The Panthers drop to 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the SEC with the two losses. They were set to play Mid-Prairie on Friday, but the game was canceled due to weather.