Mt. Pleasant, Washington baseball teams split

WASHINGTON — Mt. Pleasant and Washington each took one in a Southeast Conference baseball doubleheader at Washington High School on Thursday night. The Panthers rattled the bats for an 11-5 Game 1 victory, but the Demons scored a 6-5 comeback win in Game 2.

Washington held an early 1-0 lead in the opener, but Mt. Pleasant scored five in the second inning to take a four-run lead.

The Panthers led 7-2 heading into the bottom of the fifth, but Washington made it interesting with three in the frame to cut it to 7-5. Mt. Pleasant, however, tacked on four over the last two innings.

“At conference, on the road you want to split, and we got that done,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Brent Broeker. “I'm happy with our performance tonight, and I think we're going to get better.”

Jake Ensminger was solid on the mound for Mt. Pleasant in Game 1, pitching a complete game and giving up five runs on five hits and one walk, while striking out eight batters.

Lincoln Henriksen went 2-for-3 with three RBIs to lead the Panthers offensively. Zerek Venghaus was 1-for-2 with a double and three RBIs. Ensminger went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Carter Amos was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Jacob Miller led Washington offensively, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. Lucas Kroll, Luke Beenblossom and Ethan Patterson all had RBIs.

Zeke Slagel took the loss on the mound. He gave up seven runs (one earned) on five hits and four walks, while striking out seven batters over five innings.

Mt. Pleasant was in position for a sweep after three runs in the first inning of Game 2. The Demons answered with one in their half of the first and five in the second.

The Panthers cut the lead 6-5 by the fourth frame, and threatened in the later innings, including a two-on, nobody out situation in the sixth, but the Demon defense hung on.

“It was good, and especially bouncing back after a tough night like last night, and a tough first game here,” said Washington head coach Tyler Rausch. “That was the biggest thing was to just compete, and the boys did a great job.”

Patterson went 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI in Game 2. Kole Williams went 1-for-2 with a double and two RBIs, and Kroll knocked in a pair as well.

Isaac Vetter picked up the win on the mound, throwing 3.1 innings and giving up five earned runs on six hits and three hit batters, while striking out four. Williams threw 3.2 shut out innings to help the Demons secure victory.

Mt. Pleasant’s Payton Hagans went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs scored in Game. Trevor Wellington knocked in a pair of runs. Cooper Keldgord and Colton Hutson each knocked in one. Amos hit a triple and reached twice, and Dalton Church scored two runs.

Mt. Pleasant moved to 3-1 in conference play with the victory, going into a home doubleheader against Keokuk on Monday. Washington is 1-3 in league play and will travel to Fort Madison.