It was a week ago that the Panthers played to a scoreless draw against the Sting and without missing a beat the defense and pitching picked up right where it left off.
Knights hand Panthers first loss of the season
The Panthers four game undefeated streak to start the 2010 season was ended by the potent bats from Knights Corner in a 6-1 loss. Knights lead off hitter Rob Vitullo lead off the game with a single, but was quickly erased from the base paths by a double play turned by #17 Matt Martiniello and #99 Shawn Donnelly. Shutting down the Knights in the top of the first the Panthers looked to take an early lead. They did just that as clean up hitter #13 Brandon Rogers launched a 2 out triple to left center field scoring the first run of the game (#17 Matt Martiniello), and putting the Panthers up 1-0 early. The lead was short lived as the Knights scratched a run across the plate in their next at bats with a single, sac bunt and RBI double.
Panthers bounce back to beat Sting
Coming off their first loss of the season the Panthers looked to get back into the win column against the veteran Sting team. The Panthers started the game off with a bang in the bottom of the first inning. A lead off single by #57 Ryan Jones was followed by a deep blast to left centre field for a 2-run home run by #17 Matt Martiniello. An early 2-0 lead was just what the team needed after only managing 1 run in their previous game.
Undefeated streak continues for Panthers, topping Royals 3-1
3 up and 3 down, a common theme to the early start of the season, the Royals went down quietly in the top of the first inning. The Panthers made a little bit more noise in their bottom half of the inning. After a single and a stolen base by #17 Matt Martiniello the first run of the game was scored on a hit to left field by #7 Adam Northern, who ended up on 3rd base after a bobble by the outfielders. Already on the board and with a runner on 3rd and only 1 out the Panthers looked to add on their lead early in the game. A sacrifice fly (#13 Brandon Rogers) and an RBI single (#99 Shawn Donnelly) capped off a 3 run first inning by the Panthers.
Late inning comeback steals a point for Panthers
Another low scoring affair was turned in by the defensive minded Panthers as they rallied late to steal a 3-3 tie from the hands of defeat against DD4U. Following a quiet first inning the second started with a lead off single by #98 Dan Keith who was advanced to 3rd on a single by #99 Shawn Donnelly (who advanced to 2nd base on the throw in). With runners on 2nd and 3rd and 1 out the Panthers seemingly took the lead on a sac fly to left center field by #5 Jamie Northern. The lead was short lived as the run was called back for the runner leaving 3rd base early on the play. The Panthers didn’t let it phase them as they put another run up on the board the next inning as #31 Chris McCrimmon was driven home on a RBI single by #11 Wally Kozak.