Nine run fourth inning curses Mt. Pleasant

MT. PLEASANT — This week is a busy one for the Mt. Pleasant baseball team. On Tuesday the Panthers played their third game out of six on the week, taking on Oskaloosa in a non-conference bout.

Mt. Pleasant found itself down early against the Indians, but showed the poise to battle back. It would be all for naught, as by the game's end it was a Mt. Pleasant loss and Oskaloosa victory, 14-3.

The first inning of the game was a stalemate between the two teams. Mt. Pleasant showed grace in the first getting out of bind with runners on second and third.

Jake Ensminger struggled on the mound to start, walking the first two batters. The junior was able to bounce back with three straight outs to get out of the bind.

Ensminger got the Panthers started off right at the top of the order in the bottom of the inning with a single and a steal to second, but the Panthers were met with three straight outs to end the inning.

Things changed in the second inning.

In the top of the inning the Panthers got a quick ground out, but eight batters later and by Mt. Pleasant’s turn at the plate, Oskaloosa held a 4-0 lead.

The Panthers went scoreless again in bottom of the second and Oskaloosa added another run in the top of the third to make it 5-0.

With the Panthers at the top of the order they needed some momentum and they got it.

It wasn’t an ideal start to the inning, but Mt. Pleasant made it work.

Ensminger grounded out to start the inning, followed by a Cooper Keldgord single and a Carter Amos pop up. With two outs it looked bleak for Mt. Pleasant.

Trevor Wellington stepped up to the plate and delivered with a single that scored Keldgord making it a 5-1 game. Lincoln Henriksen then singled sending Wellington to third. Colton Hutson fought at the plate and was eventually hit by a pitch to load the bases.

A wild pitch by the Indians added two more runs for the Panthers, 5-3 and at the end of the inning Mt. Pleasant needed just two runs to tie the game. It was momentum gained for the Panthers as the dugout erupted.

With just a two run deficit, the Panthers needed a good defensive fourth to get back at the plate. Oskaloosa had other plans.

The Indian’s erupted in the top of the fourth, bringing 12 batters inside the box scoring nine straight runs, 14-3.

“It’s one of those games where you got to come out ready to swing it and they did and we didn’t,” Broeker said.

All momentum had just withered away for the Panthers.

Mt. Pleasant could never get the bats going again and Oskaloosa took the victory in five innings.

The Panthers threw four different pitchers in the game. With a busy week, guys that don’t usually pitch have to take some time on the mound.

“It’s one of those deals where both teams are backed up this week,” Broeker said. “They got six game, we got six games so it was going to come down to guys that don’t usually throw. We came back a little in the third, but we couldn’t find the strike zone again.”

Ensminger went 1-3 in the game. Keldgord also tallied a hit. Wellington finished with a hit and an RBI. Henriksen and Zerek Venghaus each had a hit.

Mt. Pleasant drops to 4-6 on the season with the loss. The Panthers will take on Southeast Conference leader Burlington on Thursday.