Knoxville 4  Winterset 5

Friday May 23, 2008

by Don French

The Knoxville Panthers committed seven errors Friday evening at the Knoxville field, resulting in a 5-4 non-conference setback to the visiting Winterset Huskies. Knoxville led 4-1 after four innings of play, but the Huskies took advantage of the Panthers' defensive troubles to score twice in the fifth and twice more in the sixth.

The home team took an early 1-0 lead, when leadoff hitter Zach Lenger singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third. Danny Lee drove in Lenger with a fielder's choice grounder for Knoxville's first run of 2008.

After Winterset scored a run to tie the score, Knoxville erupted with three runs in the fourth to re-take the lead. Lee tripled to lead off the inning, and Jesse Swanson reached first on a ground ball when heads-up baserunning by Lee forced the Winterset fielder to commit in his direction. Mike Jacks stroked an RBI single to score Lee, then Jacks and courtesy runner Jake Owen, running for Swanson, executed a fine double-steal allowing Owen to score. Jacks would later score on a wild pitch.

Panther starting pitcher Aaron Todd went five innings and allowed three runs on five hits. Kirk Keffer took the loss in relief, despite going the final two innings while allowing just one hit and one walk.

Knoxville dropped to 0-2 with the loss, and will again try to break into the win column Wednesday evening, when the Panthers travel to Pella for a JV/varsity double-header.