The North Hopkins Panthers’ baseball team opened the regular season in a Jourdanton tournament Thursday (February 28) with a pair of losses. In the morning, the Panthers lost to the host school, 7-4. Later, North Hopkins was defeated by Cornerstone, 5-0.
Against Jourdanton, the Panthers were leading 2-1 going into the bottom of the fourth inning when Jourdanton scored 6 runs. The Panthers chipped away with single runs in the fifth and sixth inning but came up short. Kevin Clement took the pitching loss going 5 1/3 third innings allowing 7 runs and 7 hits while striking out 9 and walking 6. Wyatt Wharton got the Panthers off to a good start with an sacrifice fly RBI in the top of the first inning. Clement and Brycen Gillespie also had RBIs. Geoffrey Stewart had 2 hits going 2 for 3 with a double. Clement, Gillespie and Colby Cameron also had base hits. Jourdanton outhit North Hopkins 8 to 5. The Panthers left 8 men on base.
Later North Hopkins was shut out by Cornerstone, 5-0. Caleb Wyatt got the only Panther hit in the game. He singled in the second inning. Cornerstone had 7 hits and they scored 3 runs in the bottom of the third and 2 more in the bottom of the fourth. Victor Rojo got two walks for the Panthers and Colby Cameron and Jesse Rivera also got one base on balls apiece. Geoffrey Stewart got the pitching loss giving up 6 hits and 5 runs, with only 4 earned, over 4 innings. Stewart struck out 3 and walked 2. Easton Lewis worked the final two innings and allowed only a hit and he had a strikeout. The Panthers, 0-2 for the season will continue play in the Jourdanton tournament through Saturday.
