by Ben Gaines
The Panthers took the field at 4:29 to face the Stillwater Warriors the day after a devastating loss to the undefeated Greenwich Witches. Billy Pine pitched for the Panthers in that 1-4 loss. The Panthers’ only run of the game was a hard hit ball from the bat of Brandon Hodges that careened off the third baseman’s knee into dead ball territory. This awarded Logan Brogue an extra base and a stroll to home plate after running toward third on the play.
Tuesday’s game against Stillwater saw the mercury in the fifties under a cloudy sky with a stiff breeze from first to second base. Senior, #22, Josh Brogue, the Panthers’ ace, took the mound after the mandatory rest period after pitching the previous week. The team was spurred on by the updates of the JV game that was 10-0 for the Panthers, in the first inning.
The Varsity game was scoreless until the second inning when Brandon Hodges scored on a base hit by Tyler Rondeau. Two more runners, Pine and Logan Brogue, scored in the third inning making it 3-0. Josh Brogue made it 4-0 in the fourth. Stillwater scored one in the sixth on a dead ball.
The entire game saw both teams making great plays to keep their teams in the game. On several occasions the coaches would disagree with calls, but the Warriors’ coach was the most animated while loudly appealing several decisions. A review of several photographs of questioned calls showed that the umpires did a great job calling the game.
In the top of the seventh inning the Warriors hit their stride. The top of their lineup was up, and they scored their first five batters to make it 4 to 6. The Panthers were up last and made good work of the opportunity. Tommy Peabody came up first and got on base as did lead off batter Cody Gaines, to be the tying run. Josh Brogue advanced the runners before getting out on a hard hit ball that hit the pitcher, fell to the ground and was thrown to first. Pine made out leaving the tying run on third. Randy Tutunjian hit a ball deep to left that was caught for out number 2, but Gaines tagged up and scored the tying run to send the game to extra innings.
The sun went behind the trees during the tenth inning when Josh Brogue moved to third base and Keelan Hitt relieved him. Josh had thrown 141 pitches. Brandon Hodges was warmed up and ready to go between innings 11 and 12 if another pitcher was needed. The teams worked hard for a win, but in the 12th inning Billy Pine hit a ball high into the air and the wind carried the ball to just over the fence in left center to score a total of three runs and end the marathon game 9 to 6. It was a win the entire team will remember for years to come and a superb pitching job by Josh Brogue.
