Panthers make quick work of doubleheader vs. W-MU

PACKWOOD ? Pekin got in, hit the cover off the ball, and got out.

And they made it quick.

The Panthers pounded out 30 hits as part of a doubleheader sweep of Winfield Mount-Union Monday night that didn?t even last a total of nine innings. Pekin won a 14-1, five-inning opener before taking just four innings to win the nightcap by a score of 15-0.

To set the tone early, Trenton Northup blasted a monster home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning in game one, which started an eight-run inning that quickly erased W-MU?s one-run lead. That lone run would be the only score to cross the plate all night for the Wolves against Pekin?s top two pitchers, and the Panther offense took it from there.

Pekin followed up the big first inning with scores every time at the plate thereafter.

?It?s always good to jump out like that, but to keep scoring is what you really want to see,? said Pekin head coach Jeff Eeling. ?Sometimes you can play a little relaxed with a big lead, but I didn?t see that.?

Ace pitcher Dalton Stone was credited with the game one win after hurling all five innings, allowing just three hits and with 12 of the 15 outs in the game coming by strikeout.

Nine different Panthers contributed to the 16-hit game one performance including three apiece from Gabe Dyer and Northup. Dyer and Hunter Maeder led the way with three RBI?s each.

In addition to pitching his way to a win in the nightcap, Northup was 6-7 overall from the plate with three extra-base hits including the game one homer and four runs scored to raise his season batting average to .679. The senior allowed just two hits in four innings of work while striking out four in the game two victory.

Pekin?s big senior foursome of Northup, Stone, Zach Mosbey and Brady Lamb went a combined 11-12 in the second game including Mosbey?s 3-3, two home run, five RBI effort. Lamb finished the game 3-4 with two runs batted in.

The two wins keep Pekin in a first place tie with IMS atop the SEISC north division standings and sets up a showdown with Class 2A second-ranked Davis County Wednesday afternoon. The undefeated Mustangs will travel to Pekin for a doubleheader set to begin at 3 p.m.