The Panthers took the diamond on Saturday and showed steps in the right direction. Pinnacle went up 2-0 early when McGuire Kocks led off the bottom of the first with a single. Delbert Lain immediately drove in Kocks with an RBI-double and then scored two pitches later on a passed ball.
Wendover tied it up in the top of the third, but the Panthers dug in their claws in the bottom half. Kocks again led off the inning by getting on base (a walk) and Lain singled to put runners on the corners. After Lain stole second, Michael Schmitz singled to center, bringing home two runs. Schmitz advanced to third on a ground out and later scored on another passed ball to make it 5-2.
In the fifth, Wendover cut the lead to one after two errors extended the inning. With two outs in the bottom half, Kocks stole home to score for the third time and make it 6-4. The Panthers held on to the lead and won by that same score for their first victory of the season.
Todd McFarland started on the bump and allowed two earned runs on two hits while striking out five through three and 1/3 innings. Kocks closed out the game with eight strikeouts through three and 2/3 innings. He only surrendered one hit and two runs, both unearned.
Pinnacle (1-6) will take on Tabiona (4-3) on the road on Monday. The Panthers will then face Piute (10-0) on Wednesday before finally returning home to play Bryce Valley (4-6) on Friday.
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- Photos by Jeff Barrett
