The Panthers opens up the season with a 1-0 Walk Off win over Cañada
Chastain leads City with 4 hits and scores the game winner on Little"s bases loaded walk
The 2017 season open up on Friday night as the Panthers welcomed in the Cañada Colts for a 2-game series at the U. It had all the pomp and circumstance of a season opener under the lights, but that soon faded as the teams struggled to get things going offensively and it turned into a pitcher's duel. Inning after inning, zero after zero kept lighting up the scoreboard at Union Stadium.
There were opportunities to scratch runs across, but each time the defense stepped up and made a play or the pitcher worked is way out of a jam. City had the first chance in the bottom of the 1st, when Auston Chastain singled and stole second with one out. He advanced to third on a groundout, but was stranded.
City looked to be in good shape to score again in the 3rd as Antonio Torres led off the inning with a double to right field and quickly advanced to third base on a wild pitch. However, he was cut down at the plate on Shaq Robinson's infield grounder. Shaq advanced to 2nd on the throw and then stole third with just one out. Another infield grounder and another runner cut down at the plate.
With two outs in the 5th, the Colts made two errors sandwiched around a walk and the bases were loaded. City could not deliver a base hit to plate a run. The panthers had opportunities again in the 7th, 8th and 9th innings, but failed to score each time.
The Colts only real opportunity and threat of the game came in the top of the 8th inning. A leadoff walk was followed by two Panther errors and the bases were loaded with no outs. The inning promptly came to an end with a fielder's choice grounder to get the runner at home, a pop out to 3rd base and a groundout to 3rd to keep the game scoreless.
Finally in the bottom of the 10th inning some 4+ hours later, a run would be scored. Joe McNamara led off the inning with a walk and then Auston Chastain singled to center. Antonio Torres followed up with a perfectly placed bunt that rolled to a stop down the 3rd base line a foot away from the chalk for a hit to load the bases with no outs. After a fielder's choice to cut down McNamara at home, Brett Little came up with one out to draw a bases loaded walk (to score Auston Chastain) as the Panthers walked off with the 1-0 win.
RHP, Polo Portela, threw 4.1 scoreless innings and struck out 9 Colts. He then yielded to Mitchell Miller who threw 3.2 innings and fanned 5 batters. Nick Mears threw 2 innings to close out the game and would be the winning pitcher. Mears struck out 2 and collectively the pitchers struck out 16 Colts in the win, while surrendering just 2 hits.
Auston Chastain finished the game 4x6 with 2 stolen bases, Shaq Robinson had 3 stolen bases, and Antonio Torres was 2x6, with a double.
City will host the Colts again tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon at 1pm at the U.
