Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

IRONTON — Bryce Depriest has a fastball, curveball and a change-up. But the best pitch he throws is a strike.
Depriest threw 64 percent of his 85 pitches for strikes as the Chesapeake Panthers opened the season with a 12-2 six-inning win over the Portsmouth Notre Dame Titans on Saturday.
Depriest struck out three, walked three and allowed just three hits.
“Bryce threw really well. He threw a lot of first-pitch strikes. When you’re getting ahead in the count early, that’s a plus. He located his curve and he’s developing a change-up,” said Panthers’ coach Justin Davis.
Chesapeake had seven hits with Austin Browning going 3-3 with a triple, double and three runs batted in. Dalton Nida was 2-2 with two RBI and Casey McComas 2-3 and two RBI.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the second when Browning walked, stole second, moved up on a ground out and scored on a hit by McComas.
“We have some speed and we want to put pressure on our opponents,” said Davis.
Notre Dame scored twice in the top of the third to lead 2-1 but Chesapeake came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the lead for good.
The Panthers then scored seven runs in the fourth inning to open up a 10-2 lead.
Chesapeake used four walks and two errors to fuel the uprising but Browning’s bases-loaded triple proved to be the critical blow.
Chesapeake hosts Symmes Valley on Monday.
Notre Dame    002    000    =    2    3    5
Chesapeake    012    711    =    12    7    5
Drew Cassidy, Tyler Speas (5) and Sam Kayser. Bryce Depriest and Dalton Nida. W-Depriest (K-3, B-3). L-Cassidy. Hitting-PND: Drew Cassidy 2-3 RBI, Sam Kayser 1-3; CHS: Dalton Nida 2-2 2-RBI 2-BB, Casey McComas 2-3 2-RBI, Austin Browning 3-3 3B 2B 3-RBI.