After a disappointing conference loss on Thursday, the Kingsley-Pierson baseball team bounced back with a top-15 win over St. Albert on Friday by the score of 4-3.
Kingsley-Pierson replaced seven players in their lineup following a team that was the top seed at state and made the semifinal round. That youth showed on Thursday night with a one-run loss to Ridge View giving the Panthers their first Western Valley Conference loss since 2021. Head coach Taylor Doeschot says to go from that game to a win in one day says the guys are capable of always raising the bar.
The first three innings were pretty bland for the Panthers at the plate against St. Albert. A walk and a hit batter was all Kingsley-Pierson could muster to get on base to start the game. While this was going on, St. Albert was busy at the plate growing their lead to 3-0. Coach Doeschot says things changed once the Panthers had seen the pitcher once, and they started making better contact.
The fifth inning was when things started to click at the dish. The Panthers loaded the bases and capitalized via a hit batter, a balk, and a wild pitch to tie the game. The lineup flipped over, and freshman Wyatt Klaschen came up needing to swallow any pride and get a bunt down to take the lead. Coach Doeschot says he did that, and it shows how much of a team player he is.
It was a rough night to start the game for Jackson Nissen on the mound. The senior allowed three runs on five hits and six walks while striking out six batters. The relieving duo of Tyler Koch and Kevin Wright came in and were dominant. They pitched two-and-two-thirds in relief allowing no hits, no runs, and striking out four. Coach Doeschot says both pitchers relish their roles well even when the role changes a little.
The Panthers now turn their attention to their third gameday in a row when they face off with the competition at the Marv Thelen Memorial Tournament in Remsen. Even with a newer starting lineup, the Panthers are not shying away from strong competition. In fact, Coach Doeschot is encouraging it to foster growth in the underclassmen that could set them up for a long run of success.
The Panthers will start the tournament taking on Unity Christian. They will then play the winner or loser of Remsen St. Mary’s and Humboldt in their second and final game of the tournament.
