Triple play highlights Panthers’ one-run victory
Through a handful of games, it’s clear the Panthers’ defense has improved from last year, when it was more of a liability than a strong point. Last Thursday, TMB used that defense — including a very rare triple play — to edge a tough RTR Knights team, 5-4.
In a tight game, a play like that can prove to be a difference-maker, both on the scoreboard and momentum.
The big play came in the top of the third inning when Brayden Chandler led off with a single off TMB starter Alex Munson. Munson then walked Sean Griesse to put runners on first and second in a scoreless game. That’s when things changed.
No. 3 hitter Eli Determan hit a sharp comebacker to Munson, who quickly turned and fired a laser to David Schuh at second base. Schuh had a clean relay to first for the second out, and TMB first baseman Connor Lanoue fired home to catcher Taylor Squires, who tagged Chandler out at the plate.
The play got the TMB dugout jumping and yelling because the Knights had the heart of their batting order waiting to put the first runs on the board.
“It was a big play in a big spot,” TMB manager James Fultz said. “Alex made a great throw to start it coming from a hard-hit ball back to him. Then Dave and Connor both made strong accurate throws, and Taylor made a great tag to finish out the play. Every kid knew exactly what to do without hesitation; that’s what makes a good defensive baseball team. You don’t see triple plays very often in baseball.”
The Panther offense took it from there. Trevor Smith, after fouling off four pitches, grounded a sharp single past the shortstop to start things off. That was followed by a single from Noah Knakmuhs, and Griffin Zick then reached on an RTR error to load the bases with nobody out.
Jackson Kruse, who doubled and singled, was hit by a Tyler Wichmann pitch to score Smith with the game’s first run. That was followed up with a single by Schuh that scored Knakmuhs. A fielder’s choice scored Kruse, and with two outs, Squires laced a single to right field to score Kruse and Schuh. Connor Lanoue scored on the Knights’ second error of the inning to make it 5-0.
“In the era of the pitch count, you always want to try to make your at-bats last as long as possible, and we put a lot of barrels on the ball today,” said Fultz. “Seven hits is a lot for a high school team, and the guys are confident the hits are gonna come. The younger guys are getting more varsity at-bats and they’re leaving pitches that they were swinging at two weeks ago.”
Despite the five-run inning by TMB, this game would be anything but a blowout. The Knights got back into the game with a single run in the fourth and a three-run fifth that included doubles by Chandler and Detmerman, a walk and a single by Wichmann off Smith, who relieved Munson with two on and nobody out in the fourth.
That would be the end of the scoring for both teams, as Smith retired the last seven batters after Wichmann’s base hit. The Panthers got just one hit after their big fourth inning and failed to score after putting runners on second and third with two out in the bottom of the sixth.
“The bats were great, the defense was pretty darned good,” Fultz said. “The guys are playing pretty good baseball right now.”
Knakmuhs had two singles and a walk, and Squires and Kruse had a pair of hits as well.
Munson went three innings, and Smith pitched the final four and earned the win. He struck out six.
RTR 000 130 0 — 4 4 3 TMB 000 500 x — 5 7 1 Munson, Smith (4) and Squires. 2B: Kruse. SACB: Zick.
