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Washington Evening Journal
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Panther baseball stays strong
Mt. Pleasant wallops EBF, enters week 13-3
MT. PLEASANT — Heading into one of the most important week’s of the baseball season, the Mt. Pleasant baseball team is a scolding hot 13-3.
The Panthers entered this week’s series against Fairfield having won 10 of their last 11 games, including a mercy rule victory over Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont on Wednesday, ironically beating the Rockets 13-3.
“After the other night (against Burlington), I think our kids got humbled,” said Mt. Pleasant head coach Brent Broeker, referencing the team’s only loss in the last 11 contests. “I think that woke them up a little bit.”
EBF scored three first-inning runs off first-time starter Liam Marshall, but the junior settled in after that, throwing four shut out innings.
“It feels good to get the start,” Marshall said. “In the first inning, I was really nervous, but I worked in there, got back in the second inning, and got the job done.”
The Panther offense was on fire all night. Mt. Pleasant erased the early deficit with a three-run first inning, then piled on two in the second, five in the third, one in the fourth and two in the fifth.
It was a six-RBI night for the Newton family, as Ben Newton went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs, and Zach Newton went 1-for-4 with three RBIs.
Payton Hagans was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBIs in the win. J.C. Sitar was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Payton Walker and Braytuon Hutson each knocked in one run, and Payson Coleman had a pair of hits.
Marshall gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and four hit batters, while striking out four Rockets in a five-inning complete-game.
Mt. Pleasant has now matched its win total from last season, as the Panthers sit at 13-3 overall.
The Panthers play at Fairfield on Monday night. Those games will be in Thursday’s editions of the Southeast Iowa Union.
