The Trenton Bulldogs, on the strength of a four-run 5th inning, rallied for a 4-2 win over the Pattonsburg Panthers on Tuesday afternoon, in a varsity baseball contest broadcast on KTTN FM 92.3.
Trenton started the game in poor fashion, as a walk to Peyton Jones was followed by a fielding error, putting two runners on base. A two-run single by first baseman Logan Pankau gave the Panthers an early 2-0 advantage.
From that point, the Bulldog pitching staff slammed the door on Pattonsburg, as starter Hunter Dugan went the next four innings scoreless, striking out six batters in the process. With Dugan’s pitch count running up, Avery Cooksey was called upon to pitch the final three innings, and slammed the door with seven punch-outs.
Down 2-0 heading into the bottom of the 5th inning, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with the help of two Panther errors sandwiched by a bloop single off the bat of Brayden Herring. A wild pitch scored Jesse Farmer, cutting the lead to 2-1. Senior third baseman Spencer Harris then lined a two-run single into right-center field, scoring Herring and Jaren Whitney to give the ‘Dogs a 3-2 lead. A grounder to first by Cooksey scored Hunter Dugan with the fourth run of the inning.
The win improves Trenton’s mark to 3-3 on the season. With only seven conference schools playing baseball this spring (Trenton, Milan, Putnam County, St. Joseph Christian, North Andrew, Braymer, and Pattonsburg), the Grand River Conference is not recognizing baseball officially in 2017. With the addition of King City and South Harrison in 2018, the spring of 2019 will become the first season of GRC baseball. Eight schools are needed in order for a conference champion to be recognized. In games against GRC foes so far this spring, Trenton is 2-1 (wins vs Braymer and Pattonsburg, loss to Putnam County).
On Monday afternoon, Trenton was blasted by visiting Putnam County, 12-0 in five innings. Midget senior Calvin Heidenwith worked around three walks and four hits allowed to fire three shutout innings at Trenton, earning the win. Carson Quint was 3-for-4 with 3 runs scored, Heidenwith 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI’s, and Justin Pribyl scored three runs for Puntam County.
Spencer Harris was saddled with the Monday loss for the Bulldogs, pitching the first three innings, allowing seven hits and nine runs (only four earned). Trenton’s defense struggled against the Midgets, committing six errors in five innings, as Putnam County put three runs on the board in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th innings.
