The Miami Trace Panthers needed a win against visiting Hillsboro Monday to keep their hopes of a co-championship in the Frontier Athletic Conference alive.
The Panthers got what they needed in the form of a 7-1 victory.
Miami Trace will visit Jackson High School Tuesday for the final game of the FAC schedule, as the two teams, both 7-2 in the conference, go for a win and a share of the FAC title with the Washington Blue Lions, who ended their FAC slate at 8-2.
Wes May got the start for the Panthers and pitched a complete game for the win. He allowed four hits and one earned run with one walk and four strikeouts. He hit one batter.
Brayden Cochran started for Hillsboro and took the loss. He pitched 2.2 innings with three hits, six runs (one earned), four walks and three strikeouts.
Garet Thompson pitched 3.1 innings for Hillsboro, with one hit and one run (unearned) with no walks and two strikeouts.
Both teams totaled four hits and both teams committed five errors.
“Wesley pitched an awesome game,” Miami Trace head coach Rob Smith said. “We needed that out of Wesley, because, the showdown for us is tomorrow.
“It’s been such a crazy year for us,” Smith said. “With tonight’s win, we’re 13-2. We’ve only played 15 baseball games. Usually, by this time you’re up in the 20’s. We’ve averaged two games a week.”
If the weather stays as is forecast (with temperatures in the low 80’s and minimal chances for rain), Smith said the Panthers should get three more games in this week.
“It shows what kind of team we do have, if we can just get out and play,” Smith said. “We make some little mistakes just because we haven’t played a lot. When it’s raining all the time, you can’t even get outside to practice.
“I’m proud of the kids,” Smith said. “They came out early and did what they needed to do.”
Smith said it was no secret who would pitch against Jackson: Conner Bucher.
“Wesley May has pitched great for us this year and we’ve had some others pitch great, but, everybody knows that Conner is our gamer,” Smith said. “He pitched an awesome game down there last year and that’s what we’re hoping he comes out with tomorrow.”
The Panthers scored all the runs they would need Monday with four runs in the first inning.
They scored two more in the third and added one more run in the fourth.
Hillsboro avoided the shutout with one run in the top of the sixth.
In the bottom of the first, Gaige Stuckey, Wyatt Hicks and Bucher walked to load the bases.
Dillon Hyer hit a fly ball to left field for a sacrifice fly to score Stuckey.
Brady Amrstrong reached on a bunt single to re-load the bases.
Cole Little reached on an error that allowed Hicks and Bucher to score, making it 3-0, Panthers.
Armstrong scored on a ground out by Ashton Connell to give Miami Trace a 4-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, Miami Trace put two more runs on the board in the third.
Bucher reached on an error and Hyer had a sacrifice bunt.
Bucher scored on a single to right field by Little.
Connell hit a single and Austin Boedeker walked and Little scored on an error to give Miami Trace a 6-0 lead.
The Panthers scored what proved to be their final run of the game in the fourth.
Stuckey singled and Hicks had a sacrifice bunt. Bucher reached on an error that allowed Stuckey to score, making it 7-0.
Hillsboro scratched out a run in the top of the sixth.
Canaan Griffith and Spencer Wyckoff each had one hit and Korbin Adams had two hits for the Indians. Quintin Captain had one RBI and Wyckoff scored for Hillsboro.
Stuckey, Armstrong, Little and Connell hit singles for the Panthers.
There were no extra basehits by either team.
Bucher and Boedeker each had one stolen base for the Panthers.
Liam Smart, Wyckoff, Adams and Griffith each stole one base for the Indians.
RHE
H 000 001 0 — 1 4 5
MT 402 100 x — 7 4 5
Fayette County teams in Sectional softball action
Miami Trace was supposed to play at Meigs Saturday, but that game was postponed.
The Lady Panthers visited Meigs Monday evening and lost in the Division II tournament, 13-0.
Miami Trace is at Jackson Tuesday to finish the 2022 season.
The Lady Lions of Washington High School visited Athens Monday and lost their tournament game, 7-1, finishing the season at 11-9.
