Mistakes costly in Panthers’ loss

Published 1:27 am Friday, April 29, 2016

Jim Walker

jim.walker@irontontribune.com

 

GALLIPOLIS — The heat was turned up, but we’re not talking about the weather.

The Gallipolis Blue Devils used a pressure game and mistakes by the Chesapeake Panthers to get a 13-5 Ohio Valley Conference win on Wednesday.

“Gallipolis did a good job putting pressure on us by running and bunting,” said Panthers’ coach Justin Davis.

“But when you walk seven, hit two batters and commit four errors, bad things will happen and they did.”

Chesapeake actually took a 5-0 lead after two innings before the bottom fell out.

Casey McComas singled, Kolton Webb beat out a bunt, McComas scored on an error and Kobe McWhorter singled in Webb for a 2-0 lead in the first.

Kelton Jones, Austin Browning and McComas all singled in the second for a run and Dakota Browning reached on a two-base error as two more runs scored.

But Gallipolis erupted for seven runs in the bottom of the second.

The inning began with a hit batsman and four straight walks. Kole Carter singled in two runs, Matt Bailey had a bunt single, Anthony Sipple singled in a run and Jeremy Brumfield reached on an error as two runs scored.

The lead went to 9-5 in the third.

Josh Davis walked, Braden Simms reached on an error, Carter singled, Bailey had another bunt hit and Sipple singled.

Gallipolis got two runs in the fourth. Ryan Terry and scored on Simms’ triple. Carter reached on an error as Simms scored.

The final two runs came in the sixth when Simms and Carter reached on errors for a run, Bailey had a sacrifice but and Sipple grounded out as Carter scored.

Browning and Jones each went 2-3 and McComas 2-4 as the Panthers had nine hits.

Chesapeake visits Fairland on Friday.

Chesapeake 230 000 0 = 5 9 4

Gallipolis 072 202 x = 13 11 2

Jamey Mills, Austin Browning (2), Casey McComas (5) and Dakota Blankenship. Ryan Terry, Jeremy Brumfield (2) and Anthony Sipple. W-Brumfield (IP-5.2, K-2, BB-1, H-3, R-0). Terry (IP-1.1, R-5, ER-3, H-6). L-Mills (IP-1.0, K-0, BB-3, R-4, ER-4, H-0). Browning (IP-3.1, K-3, BB-4, H-10, R-7, ER-4). McComas (IP-1.2, K-1, BB-0, H-1, R-2, ER-0). Hitting-CHS: Casey McComas 2-4 rbi 2B, Kolton Webb 1-4, Dakota Blankenship 1-4, Kobe McWhorter 1-2 rbi, Kelton Jones 2-3, Austin Browning 2-3 2B; Gallia: Kole Carter 2-5 rbi-3, Matt Bailey 3-4, Anthony Sipple 2-4 rbi-2, Jeremy Brumfield 1-3, Ryan Terry 1-2, Braden Simms 2-3 rbi-2 3B.