Knoxville 9 Grinnell 2

Monday June 29, 2009

by Don French

Monday night's first game of a conference twinbill with South Tama stayed scoreless through three innings before the Knoxville Panthers erupted with six runs in the fourth and cruised from there to a 9-2 triumph over the visiting Trojans.

The Panther defense shined early, making two nice plays to keep South Tama off the scoreboard. Center fielder Danny Lee threw out a baserunner at home and Mike Jacks later doubled a runner off of second base.

Jacks provided the big hit in Knoxville's six-run rally as well, a two-run double which scored Adam Thiel and Blake McWilliams. Zach Lenger also laced an RBI double, and Lee drove in a run on a squeeze play.

Knoxville added an unearned run in the fifth, when an errant throw by the Trojan pitcher to first base allowed Zach Stuart to come around and score. Two more Panther runs scored in the sixth on Nathan Hegwood's single up the middle.

Jacob Cunningham picked up the win, hurling the first four innings and allowing two runs on three hits. Jamie VanderVeer had a stellar relief effort, allowing the Trojans no hits over the final three innings.