The Saint Jo Panthers’ baseball team gets to move on as they beat Ector twice on Friday in the area round of the playoffs.
The Panthers controlled both games, winning 12-3 and 13-2 two weeks since their last regular season game.
Saint Jo’s bi-district one game playoff series against Vernon Northside the previous week was forfeited by the Indians due to disciplinary reasons.
It did not take long to knock off the rust. Leadoff batter Collin Thomas was able to score on the base paths thanks to an error from the pitcher. Two batters later Payton Harris drove in a run with a single to put the Panthers up 2-0 after the first inning.
The second inning Saint Jo took advantage of some errant pitching as three hit batters loaded the bases with one out. Jace Johnson came through as he a hit a bases-clearing triple. Harris then drove him in with a single.
Later in the inning the bases were loaded up again and Jordan Reeves drew a walk to score another run to put the Panthers up 7-0 before a pop up ended the second inning.
Harris got the start on the mound for Saint Jo and was clean through the first two innings, but the Eagles found some success in the third inning. Two walks and two doubles drove in three runs to cut the lead to 7-3.
The Panthers tried to answer back and gain back momentum with their bats. The first two batters tried to attack pitches early in the count and popped up for easy outs on only three pitches. Johnson then drew a walk to try and spark a two out rally. He stole second base, but was thrown out at third base to end the third inning.
Ector looked like it was getting back into the game. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases. With two outs, Harris forced a ground out to short stop to get out of the jam.
In the fifth inning the Panthers added to their lead. Collin Thomas scored on the base paths thanks to an error by the pitcher. Johnson later drove in a run. With the bases loaded Chance Bennett laid down a sacrificed bunt for another run, making the score 10-3.
Trevor Conner came to pitch in the sixth inning. The Eagles again loaded the bases, but again Saint Jo got out of the situation as Conner fielded a ground ball for out three.
Conner led off the next inning and was hit by a pitch. Thomas would later drive him in on a single. Cook then drove him in with a single to make the score 12-3.
Despite Ector getting a one out single to try and spark a desperate comeback in the final inning, catcher Bennett threw him out for out two before Conner struck out the final batter.
Johnson led the team with four RBIs while Harris had two. On the mound Harris gave up three runs on five hits while striking out six and walking six batters in five innings. Conner got the save and allowed only two hits and no runs while striking out two batters and walking one.

To read what happened in game two, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.