Knoxville 7 Centerville 6

Thursday May 28, 2009

by Don French

The Knoxville Panthers got their first win of 2009 when Blake McWilliams blasted a two-run homer in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 7-6 win over the defending state champion Centerville Big Reds.

The Panthers jumped out to the early lead by scoring four times in the second inning, combining three walks with hits by Lance Daugherty, Eric Jones and Mike Jacks. However, some shaky defense cost Knoxville the lead as six Panther errors enabled the Reds to come back and take a 6-4 lead.

But from that point the defense stiffened and held Centerville at bay, and a solo home run by Jacks cut Knoxville's deficit to a single run. Jones drew a base on balls in the sixth ahead of the McWilliams homer which completed the Panthers' comeback.

Daughtery started on the mound for KHS and allowed five hits over four-plus innings of work, but his efforts were hampered by the defensive miscues. Jacob Cunningham got the win in relief, shutting out the Reds over the final one and-a-third innings.