Baseball: K&Q 14 Charles City 4

The Panthers welcomed the King & Queen’s Tigers to Charles City in search of their first victory of the season. However, an error turned a two-base hit into multiple runs across the plate.

A throwing error in the top of the third inning converted a tie game into a rout as the four-run frame spurred the visitors to a 14-4 victory during the March 28 non-district contest.

After King & Queen pushed two runs across in the top of the opening inning, the hosts responded. Thomas Kelly’s single brought in Avery Jones, and Shea Clancy’s single drove Kelly across the plate to knot the game at two apiece.

Discombobulating miscues plagued the Panthers in the top of the third. With runners on second and third and no outs, the Tigers’ Reese Fortune blasted a ground ball past second baseman Jones, driving in two runs. An overthrown ball into the infield allowed Fortune to proceed to third base. The Panthers’ lethargic response allowed Fortune to turn the hot corner and cross the plate unchallenged, stretching the guests’ lead to 7-3.

Matters and morale dissipated in the top of the fifth as King & Queen pushed across seven more runs courtesy of multiple errors and miscues by the hosts. The end result cumulated in the Panthers now displaying an 0-4 season record and head coach Alan Jones’ frustration of letting another winnable game slip away due to mistakes.

“We have to make plays and that’s the bottom line,” said Jones. “We played well up until the top of the [fifth] inning and you cannot give up four to five runs.”

Despite the loss, Jones mentioned that future adjustments may help with a better result on the scoreboard.

“We just have to make better plays to pull these winnable games out,” continued the optimistic coach. “We have speed which means we have to play small ball and we have to play better defense. Dropping balls and not getting routine balls will not win you any or many ball games.”