BASEBALL: Panthers show what they're capable of in win over No. 3 Comets

ROYAL CENTER — After nearly knocking off Class 1A No. 2 Triton earlier this season, the Pioneer baseball team closed the deal against No. 3 Caston on Tuesday with an 11-7 victory.

The win was just the Panthers’ (4-13, 4-7 HNAC) fourth this season season while at the same time they knocked the Comets (15-4, 12-2) out of contention for the HNAC championship. Triton (17-2, 15-1) has secured the league title outright after Caston’s loss.

The Panthers also avenged a 24-6 loss to the Comets Monday in Fulton.

“I’m just excited for obviously the team coming out of yesterday’s game and knowing going into today that it doesn’t matter what happened yesterday,” Pioneer coach Josh Hardy said. “We got a new day today. But I was happy the way that we were aggressive at the plate for the majority of the game, excited about these two guys on the mound, did a great job for us. And then our defense held them down too.”

Junior right-handers Lane Weldy and Carter Carmichael combined on the win for the Panthers.

Weldy went four innings and allowed seven runs (none earned) on six hits and three walks. Carmichael closed it out with three innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and three walks.

“It feels great. Since I was a freshman we haven’t beat them yet,” Weldy said. “We played pretty close with Triton, so it felt like we deserved this one for sure. So just feels really good.”

The Comets had scored 31 runs in their first eight frames against the Panthers before Carmichael put up three straight zeros.

“Our defense played good, pitching was good, our catcher (Hunter Stover) was good, dropping in, blocking,” Carmichael said. “Our bats were good too, so I would say we were well-rounded.”

Weldy had two hits and two RBIs to lead Pioneer. Gabe Scott had a single and four RBIs. Cylis Kistler had a single and two RBIs. Archie Blickenstaff had a single and RBI. Braxton Maciejewski added a single and run scored.

The Panthers have showed they can play with the best teams in 1A, which will give them some confidence going into the upcoming Tri-County Sectional. They drew West Central (10-4) at 6 p.m. May 27.

Caston junior ace Carson Harness was rolling right along at the start of the game. He allowed just one walk through the first three innings while striking out five.

But he ran into major problems in the 11-run fourth which included four walks, three errors and five hits. He struck out the side but the errors made him have to get six outs instead of three.

“He did hit a little bit of a wall and missed the strike zone a little bit,” Caston coach Blake Mollenkopf said. “It was a little tighter zone, but I think it was the same both ways. It wasn’t lopsided. So a couple walks, a couple ground balls in play and we just didn’t make the plays on them that we typically do, and some hits after that, and it happens.”

After jumping out to a 7-0 lead the Comets were shut out over the final three innings.