For the first time ever, the Kingsley-Pierson baseball team won the Spalding Catholic Tournament title on Saturday. The Panthers defeated No. 9 Gehlen Catholic 7-6 and Akron-Westfield 12-2 in six innings.
The Panthers nearly were not in this spot to win the tournament after trailing Gehlen Catholic 6-2 with two outs in the bottom of the seventh. The Panthers then proceeded to prolong the inning by putting the ball in play three times resulting in three Gehlen errors and scoring five runs. Head coach Taylor Doeschot says the guys were on their back foot early but found a way to stick with it and come out on top in the end.
That comeback certainly sparked the Panthers who then scored seven runs in the bottom of the first against Akron-Westfield in the championship game. Their result in the championship game helped the Panthers win their 11th game out of their last 12. Coach Doeschot says he has seen the confidence growing in this team ever since they started 0-3.
Offensively, Easton Nissen drove in five of the 12 runs for the Panthers in the championship game against Akron-Westfield. Coach Doeschot says he had been sensing a big game from Nissen which prompted a change in the order.
The Panthers improved to 11-4 on the season with the wins in Granville on Saturday. Kingsley-Pierson has already clinched the regular season title in the Western Valley Conference and will go for the tournament title this week. Coach Doeschot says the progression this team has made makes all three of the team’s goals a reality.
The Panthers open the tournament on Monday in Kingsley with a matchup against Westwood. They will play the next rounds on Tuesday and Thursday this week.
