Braves fall to Panthers in semifinals

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SELLERSBURG

From the quarterfinals to the semis, Brownstown Central baseball’s bats went from red hot to ice cold.

The Braves couldn’t build on their 15-hit performance from last week in Monday’s Sectional 30 matchup with Corydon Central, totaling just four hits in a 4-0 season-ending loss.

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In the first inning, the Braves (16-8) loaded the bases on single from senior Carson Lambring, error on a fielder’s choice and walk but couldn’t capitalize.

The Panthers also managed a hit, but the Braves’ defense halted any scoring.

After the Braves went down in the top of the second inning, the Panthers got on the board.

With a runner on second base, Logan Daily hit a pop up just behind second base.

Despite three fielders in the area, the ball dropped to the ground and the Panthers went up 1-0.

The Braves were able to get a pair of runners on bases in the third inning, with a single from senior Sy Zickler and a walk, but weren’t able to capitalize.

Following a lead-off single from Alec Saulmn, an error put runners on first and third bases with no outs in the bottom of the third.

With the next at-bat, Jordan Ripperdan hit an RBI single to center field to boost the Panthers lead to 2-0. After a pair of strikeouts by senior pitcher Cody Williams, Noah Windell hit an RBI single to left to put the Panthers up 3-0.

Brownstown Central continued to struggle offensively in the top of the fourth, managing just a single hit by senior Devin Stuckwisch.

Ty Maxie replaced Cody Williams in the bottom of the fourth inning on the mound, and didn’t give up a hit in his three innings of work.

Maxie kept the Panthers off the bases, with a pair of strikeouts, as the Braves still trailed 3-0.

Daily, a lefty, was substituted for Gabe Fleace, the Panthers’ No. 1 pitcher, on the mound to start the fifth inning.

“I think their strategy was to junk us to death,”Braves coach John Lawson said. “They threw the lefty, and had him throw a lot of curve balls. The temptation was there, and we didn’t keep our hands out and wait. We just didn’t hit, and that’s baseball sometimes.”

The Braves got on base with a walk, but struck out three times in the top of the fifth inning.

Clayton Shreck scored Jonathan Mattingly with a sacrifice to put the Panthers up 4-0 at the end of five innings. Mattlingly got on base by reaching on an error before making it to second on a ground out and to third after a wild pitch.

Tossing two more strikeouts, Fleace took the Braves down in order again in the top of the sixth inning.

Senior Kyle Kramer led off the top of the seventh with a single for the Braves, but a strikeout, pop out and ground out concluded the game.

The Panthers out-hit the Braves 5-4 in the contest and had one error to Brownstown Central’s three mishaps.

“When you don’t score, you don’t stand a chance,” Lawson said. “It’s disappointing. There were a lot of guys that carried over from last year’s championship team that were hoping to get another one. We wish the seniors well, it’s a tough one to lose.”

Brownstown graduates eight seniors from the team: Williams, Zickler, Lambring, Kramer, Maxie, Bret Fleetwood, Stuckwisch, Nick Marling and Carl Ruddick.

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