In a back-and-forth affair on Thursday evening, the Eastbrook Panthers came out on top, using solid pitching and a more efficient offensive performance in an 8-7 victory over the Northfield Norsemen.
Northfield scored the first two runs of the contest in the bottom of the first inning, but the Panthers scored single runs in the second and fourth frames to tie the game at 2-2.
The Norsemen quickly regained the lead, plating three runs in the home half of the fourth. But the Panthers again had an answer, scoring four runs to turn their three-run deficit into a one-run lead.
Eastbrook scored two insurance runs in the seventh frame, and held off a late Northfield rally to secure their second straight win.
“Despite getting down early we continued to maintain our same approach at the plate and on the mound and let the game play out for itself,” Eastbrook Head Coach Ryne Brown said. “We ended up having to pull our starting pitcher Dylan Joseph after warm ups in before the bottom half of the 2nd inning started, but Dylan Bragg came in and didn’t miss a beat from where Joseph had left off. We continued to take measured approaches at the plate and as we got deeper into the game we were able to work some counts to our favor and make some plays happen. Defensively, we were able to turn two double plays. We stayed the course even though we got behind and were able to make a rally.”
Austin Castillo led the Panthers’ offense, finishing with three of Eastbrook’s seven hits to go along with a run scored and four RBI. Issac Rans went 2-for-4, while Blake Mitchell and Jason Hale each drove in a run.
“I think that we are starting to get settled and beginning to feel confident in what we are doing,” Brown said. “As guys are learning what their roles are and what they bring to the team and create a more cohesive unit. Even the losses we have had we’ve been able to take good things from them and learn from what didn’t go well. That’s something that I have been very proud of these guys because they are continuing to learn. From an execution standpoint, we have continually gotten better. I think we still have many areas that we can continue to grow in, but as a team, we have been able get ourselves settled in, understand who we are as a team, and what we need to do in order to continue to give ourselves opportunities to win ballgames.”
Dylan Bragg, Brody Brodkorb, and Dylan Joseph each pitched well in Thursday’s victory, combining to allow eight hits and just six earned runs while striking out seven. Brodkorb earned the win, pitching three innings, striking out three, and walking none.
“It’s been great to have multiple guys that can come in and get the job done,” Brown said. “Like I said, having to pull the pitcher after one inning makes trying to plan the rest of the game tough, but when Bragg came in and gave us 3 solid innings and we handed the ball to Brody Brodkorb to finish off the last three innings, it was a great job by them to not only hold Northfield in check but to be able to pass the ball along and continue executing. It was a full team effort to win the defensive battle in the field and on the mound.”
