Wilton hands Pekin 11-2 loss Wednesday

WILTON ? The Pekin baseball team managed just two hits off Wilton pitching and fell 11-2 on Wednesday.

Tater Clubb and Thomas Slaney tallied the hits for Pekin ? both singles. Bailey Donovan had a sacrifice fly to knock in a run and Josh Sterling drew an RBI walk.

The Beavers took a 3-1 lead into the third inning before opening the game wide open and scoring eight more runs by the bottom of the fifth.

?They were the better team last night. They have a good program and are well coached,? said Pekin head coach Jeff Eeling.

Starter Seth Jensen took the loss for Pekin after allowing four earned runs over three innings. The junior Panther allowed four hits and struck out one.

However, Eeling came to the defense of his pitcher, who issued four walks in the first inning and six overall Wednesday.

?I?m not an excuses guy, but I thought the plate was a little tight honestly,? the coach said. ?It seemed like he needed to throw it down the middle.?

Derek Morales relieved Jensen in the top of the fourth inning, allowing another five earned runs in three innings while getting two strikeouts.

Even in the loss, the Panthers made a good impression on their head coach.

?What impressed me is they didn?t get down, and that was good to see,? said Eeling. ?It would?ve been easy to fall down, and they didn?t do that.?

The Panthers (3-3, 2-1 SEISC north) look to dust themselves off with a home game vs. Lone Tree Friday.

Pekin @ Wilton

PEKIN ? 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 ? 2 2 3

WILTON ? 2 1 2 5 1 0 X ? 11 10 0

PEKIN ? Clubb 1-2, Slaney 1-2, Donovan RBI, Sterling RBI

Pitching ? Jensen (L) 3 INN, 4H, 5R, 4ER, K, 6BB; Morales 3 INN, 6H, 6R, 5ER, 2K, 4BB