The Miami Trace Panthers finished the first Frontier Athletic Conference season as co-champions following an 11-4 win at home over Jackson Monday evening.
After falling 3-1 to the Blue Lions on Friday, the Panthers needed help from the McClain Tigers. The Tigers defeated Washington 9-7 at Mitchell Park Monday, creating the co-championship scenario.
The Panthers and Blue Lions finish the first FAC baseball season, both with identical 7-3 records.
Austin Mathews pitched a complete game for the victory for the Panthers.
He struck out seven, walked two and hit one batter. Three of Jackson’s runs were earned.
“I’m excited,” Miami Trace head coach Rob Smith said. “Friday was such a great game; (so many) emotions after the game. Then, you have to sleep on it for two or three days.
“We talked before the game that anything is possible in the game of baseball,” Smith said. “Baseball is such a humbling sport. If you come out and take care of business, you never know what can happen.
“I’m just proud of our kids,” Smith said. “When you lose a rivalry game, especially one as intense and with as much at stake as Friday’s game, you never know what you’re going to get the rest of the season.
“We thought that might be the end of (our chances for a league title),” Smith said. “The kids have worked hard and it’s been a weird season, with the weather and all that. We’re just excited right now.”
The Panthers scored four runs in the bottom of the second.
Brady Wallace hit a two-run triple and Josh Gilmore drove in two runs with a single.
After Jackson scored two in the top of the fourth, the Panthers got those runs right back in the bottom of the fourth.
Gilmore had an rbi single for the Panthers in the fourth.
Miami Trace scored two in the fifth with the help of an rbi single by Wallace.
The Panthers concluded their scoring with three additional runs in the sixth.
Austin Brown drove in a run with a single and Jacob Hoppes had a fielder’s choice to drive in another run.
Jackson was hampered by seven errors.
The Panthers were chosen as a No. 1 seed in the upcoming tournament.
Miami Trace (13-4 overall) is at Unioto Tuesday and back home Wednesday to host Dayton Ponitz.
Offensively for Miami Trace: Brady Wallace, 3-4, 3 runs, 1 3b, 3 rbi; Drew Batson, 1-2, 2 runs, 1 2b, 2 sb; Josh Gilmore, 2-4, 2 sb, 3 rbi; Heath Cockerill, 1-3, 1 run; Cody Brightman, 2-4, 1 run, 1 sb; Austin Brown, 1-3, 1 run, 2 sb, 1 rbi; Dalton Mayer, 1-4, 1 run, 1 sb; Darby Tyree, 1-2, 2 runs; Jacob Hoppes, 0-1, fc, 1 rbi; Austin Mathews, 0-2, sac; Mason Snow, 0-1.
RHE
J 000 200 2 — 4 5 7
MT 040 223 x — 11 12 2
