Knoxville 11 Oskaloosa 6

Monday July 13, 2009

by Don French

With the Senior Night activities complete, the Panthers still had unfinished business to take care of as they faced Osky in Monday's nightcap. Knoxville jumped to an early lead, withstood an Indian rally and pulled away late for an 11-5 win that concluded the 2009 regular season as well as Little Hawkeye Conference play. Knoxville ends the regular season 21-14 overall and 16-8 in conference, good for second place.

The Panthers took the early advantage with four runs in the first. Both KHS seniors -- Danny Lee and Nathan Hegwood -- had hits in the inning, which also featured a Lance Daugherty RBI double and a sac fly RBI by Zach Stuart.

Osky tied the game with a 4-run second, but Knoxville took the lead for good when they scored three times in the third. Lee provided the big blow, slicing a 2-run single to left field. Two more runs in the fourth bulged Knoxville's lead to 9-4. Stuart drove in one of those runs with a single, his third RBI of the game.

Two more Panther runs crossed the plate in the fifth. Zach Lenger scored on a passed ball, and Blake McWilliams scored on a sac fly by Mike Jacks.

Besides Stuart's three RBI's, the Panther offense featured three runs scored and two RBI's from Jacks, and Lee went 2-for-3 and drove in two runs in his final regular-season game for KHS.

Kellen Glover went five innings and got the win, and the two seniors pitched the final two innings in relief. Lee struck out two while holding Osky scoreless in the sixth and Hegwood allowed one meaningless run in the seventh.

Be sure to come and support the Panthers on Friday when Knoxville hosts post-season baseball. The Panthers will play Centerville in their first-round district game starting at 7:00.