Mt. Pleasant mashes Fort Madison

MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant baseball team finished off the Southeast Conference schedule in style on Thursday night, smacking Fort Madison 15-0 in just four innings.

Just a few days after scoring 24 total runs in a split doubleheader at Fort Madison, the Panthers busted the Bloodhounds for 15 runs, all spread out from the second to fourth innings, to finish the series with 39 total runs scored.

  Buy Photo

“I thought our kids did a great job, even in the small ball,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Brent Broeker. “We made a few mistakes on the bases, but I thought overall, we hit it pretty well. We kept putting pressure on them every inning.”

  Buy Photo

The highlight of the game was a three-run home run by sophomore Payton Walker in the second inning.

“It felt really good,” Walker said. “I got a fastball, inside. ”(Assistant Coach) Bjork was telling me to round it hard, so I thought it was staying in. I didn't even look at it.“

It was the third Panther home run of the series. Carter Amos had two in a game last week. Before the games against Fort Madison, the team had just two all season.

  Buy Photo

“We just like to hit off them, I guess,” Walker said.

Walker finished 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBIs. Zerek Venghaus went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs. Ben Neton collected two RBIs for the Panthers, and both Zachery Newton and Payton Hagans had one.

Venghaus had a huge day on the mound. He gave up just two hits over his complete-game four innings and struck out three batters to earn the win.

“You get a lead, and he knows 'all I have to do is pump strikes and see what they can do with it,’” said Broeker. “And then our guys did a great job defensively.”

Mt. Pleasant is now 12-11 overall and 8-7 in conference play. The Panthers will finish third, unless Fairfield (14-17, 8-6) loses to Keokuk on Monday, which would tie them for second. Either way, the Panthers and Trojans will do battle in Mt. Pleasant on Friday.

  Buy Photo