Panthers at Brewers
Sunday, June 1st, 2003
Faulkner, 6:00pm
These 2 long time rivals once again played a close game that could have went either way, ending in a tie. The Panthers jumped out of the gate quickly while the Brewers tripped and fell out of the gate while digging a hole for themselves in the first 2 innings. In both the first 2 innings, the Panthers had the bases loaded with nobody out, which of course is never a good sign for the defence. In the first, Keith Bray hit the first pitch of the game to the left center wall for a double. After an error and walk to load the bases, Steve Tsonos hit an RBI single and then John Carbonette made sure the Panthers really cashed in with a line drive 2 RBI single to make it 3-0 without an out being made. Geoff Magnus finally got out of the inning after walking Mark Sarson to force in a 4th run.
Panthers starter Ryan McLaughlin, cruised through the first 2 innings getting a double play in the first and not allowing a run thru 2 innings. Magnus got in trouble again in the top of the second, after Jordan Latimer doubled, Dan Altherr singled, then after a fielding flop by the Brewers, once again the bases were loaded. Again, Carbonette cashed in 2 runs with a 2 RBI single. Steve Smith followed with an RBI single of his own to make the score 7-0 and signal the end of the night for Magnus on the mound. Chris Ivany relieved and was able to stop the damage by stranding the bases loaded.
The Panthers again loaded the bases in the top of the 3rd, but Ivany was able to strike out the final 2 batters of the inning to escape. Ivany then led off the bottom of the frame with a single to open the flood gates for the Brewers, as suddenly momentum shifted to the Brewers. After all was said and done in the 3rd, the Brewers had tied the game 7-7 by putting together 7 hits, highlighted by a 2 RBI double by Matt Beelen, and Ivany`s second hit of the inning, a 2 RBI double to left. Jason Ulmer was needed to get the Panthers out of the inning.
From here, a pitching duel appeared out of nowhere, as Ivany and Ulmer got through the 4th and 5th innings without any damage, the Brewers did waste a leadoff triple by Jon Zywicki in the 4th as the game went to the 6th still tied.
In the 6th, after 2 quick outs, Ivany surrendered a single by Bray and an RBI double by Latimer to give the Panthers an 8-7 lead heading into what turned out to be the final half inning due to the time limit. The Brewers were able to scrape out a run in the bottom of the 6th, with a Zywicki walk, Matt Beelen single and a Magnus sacrifice fly to center. This wild game ended fittingly in a tie as neither team really deserved to win.
Player of the Game : Chris Ivany, 5 IP, 4 hit, 5 K`s, 1 run...2/3, 2
RBI, double.
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