RANGELY I On June 3 Dove Creek came to town for a non-league double header. Justin Cudo took the hill for the Panthers. Under a pitch limit, he threw 3.1 innings, striking out three with one walk. Luis Quintana threw three innings in relief.
“We just couldn’t get our bats going against their ace with only six hits in the game with Braxton Moore driving in our only run of the game,” said head coach Jerry LeBleu. The final score was 9-1.
In the second half of the double header the Panthers put up 17 hits in the game. But was outscored 17-8 leaving nine runners on base. Keihlin Myers started on the mound giving up six runs on seven hits striking out three with one walk over 3.1 innings on a 60 pitch limit due to league games on Saturday. We brought in freshman Kobe Chism and sophomore Kevin Wren to close out the game. Cudo, Myers, Mackay, Davis, Chism and Richens all had multiple hits with Cudo going four for four at the plate.
On Saturday, June 5 the Panthers squared off against the Cedaredge Bruins in a league double header. The Bruins — one of the top teams in the conference — was a tough foe.
“It was tough going as we only had five hits in the game. We saw the ball well but it just kept finding a Bruin. We had five strikeouts against the league leader in strikeouts,” LeBleu said.
Cudo got the start allowing eight hits and 10 runs over five innings and striking out five. Davis and Wren had a multiple hit day. Final score was 10-0.
In the second half of the double header the Panthers played with attitude and grit in a back and forth game. Junior Keihlin Myers took on the pitching duties for the Panthers surrendering seven runs on 12 hits over 6.2 innings striking out nine with zero walks. The Panthers were back in double digit hitting with 13 hits in the contest. Mackay, Quintana, Myers, Wren and Brent Cantrell all had multiple hits during the game. Cantrell getting his first start of the season came through in the clutch with the Panthers down 8-6 going into the last inning the Panthers never gave up.
“I told them to dig deep, we just need some base runners as we were in the bottom half of our lineup we got a couple half of our lineup, with a couple of kids on base,” LeBleu said.
Freshman Dalton LeBleu came in as a pinch hitter and drew a walk to load the bases with two outs. Myers and Wren drove in a couple of runs to tie the game. Cudo stepping up to the plate drove the first hit he saw up the middle for a walk off base hit for a 9-8 win.
“A great way to end the season with a win. I am so excited for this team next year as we were a young team this year and played against good competition in our league losing three games by one run. Thanks, boys, for all the memories this year as your head coach,” LeBleu said.
Special to the Herald Times
