The Panthers split a pair of games in Milroy on Tuesday, beating CMCS 13-3 and falling to Wabasso, 13-11.
In Game 1, the Panthers started slow, but the bats came alive in the second when they scored twice. Jackson Kruse hit a double off the wall in the second to plate two runs.CMCS scored twice in the third, but TMB countered with three runs of their own on a double by Smith and singles by Noah Knakmuhs and Griffin Zick.
TMB kept the pressure on with three more runs in the fourth. Smith led off with a triple and scored on a single by Knakmuhs. After two walks loaded the bases, Brody Hauger doubled to score two runs. TMB pushed across two more runs in the fifth on consecutive singles by Aiden Sanow, Taylor Squires and Connor Lanoue.
Sixth-inning RBI by Squires and Smith gave TMB a 13-3 lead.
“The offense carried over from last week,” TMB coach James Fultz said. “Sixteen hits is pretty darned good.”
Smith was solid on the mound for most of the game. He went five innings, striking out six, including the side in the fifth. Knakmuhs finished with one inning of relief.
“He carried over pretty well from the last time he pitched,” Fultz said. “He’s definitely a pitcher that likes to throw when it’s warm out. He had some juice today, and when he’s on, we’re going to be tough.”
Smith and Knakmuhs had three hits, and Squires and Lanoue had two hits apiece. Zick scored three runs, and four TMB hitters scored two runs. Smith, Knakmuhs, Zick, Hauger and Kruse all drove in two runs.
KEVIN VASQUEZ fouls off a pitch against CMCS on Tuesday.
In the high-scoring nightcap, TMB and Wabasso combined for 11 runs in the seventh inning. The Panthers trailed 13-5 in the seventh and pushed across six seventh-inning runs.
“This was a very up and down game,” Fultz said. “Wabasso hit the ball very well and you have to give them credit, we didn’t give them many free passes, they hit the ball well. We had three or four defensive plays besides the errors that really hurt us; we will need to make these plays in the future if we want to win a playoff game.”
TMB pounded out another 12 hits as the offense continued to shine. Squires, Smith, Alex Munson and Hauger all had two hits, and Hauger drove in four runs.
“The offense was great again, the guys were a little worn down after the first game, but the at-bats stayed very consistent and we gave ourselves a chance to tie the game in the seventh.”
Zick took the loss, giving up six runs in three innings. He was one of four TMB pitchers.
“The progress the team has made on offense has been awesome,” Fultz said. “I think everything we are doing is going to carry over into future games. The defense is going to have to get better, yes it only says three errors, but we will need to make more plays for our pitchers to win games, especially if they are doing a great job and forcing the other team to hit the ball. Lots of good things from a long day today, it’s gonna be a fun test to see how the guys respond on Thursday.”
TMB (7-6, 4-2) will face Ortonville today in Milroy and hosts Canby in Tracy on Friday.
Game 1 CMCS 002 100 — 3 3 1 TMB 023 422 — 13 17 1 Smith, Knakmuhs (6) and Squires. 2B: Smith, Kruse. 3B: Smith, Sanow, Knakmuhs. HBP: Zick.
Game 2 Wabasso 321 101 5 — 13 12 3 TMB 401 000 6 — 11 9 3
Zick (L), Knakmuhs (4), Munson (5), Schuh (7) and Squires. 3B: Hauger.
MAY 1: TMB 12, KMS 6
Trevor Smith was 3-for-3 with two RBI and four runs scored, and Noah Knakmuhs was 3-for-5 with two RBI, three runs scored and two stolen bases as the Panthers routed Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg 12-6 in Camden Conference action in Milroy last Thursday in a game originally scheduled to be played in Sundburg.
Smith also got the win on the mound, going four innings and striking out six. Alex Munson threw three innings of relief.
Brody Hauger, Jackson Kruse and Aiden Sanow all picked up two hits for the Panthers.
TMB 420 301 2 — 12 17 2 KMS 010 005 0 — 6 6 3
Smith (W), Munson (5) and Squires. 2B: Smith. HBP: Smith.
