Mistakes by Flyers prove too much in loss to Panthers

PORTSMOUTH — Much like the old saying "one bad egg, spoils the dozen", one bad inning, spoils the game.

A bad third inning spelled doom for Saint Joseph and the Portsmouth Clay Panthers capitalized on that momentum to down the Flyers 11-4 on Wednesday evening in a key Southern Ohio Conference game.

The win moves the Panthers record to 6-2 overall and 3-1 in the league. The Flyers fall to 3-4 and 1-3.

The Flyers were limited at the plate, notching four hits in the game. West Neal led the offense with a base hit and two runs batted in. Evan Aldridge doubled and Landon Rowe and Carter Johnson each recorded a hit.

Saint Joseph broke the scoreless tie in the second, starting with Aldridge drawing a walk and reaching third thanks to back-to-back balks, then Neal drove an 0-1 pitch back up the middle to score Aldridge. Neal later scored on a throwing error to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the frame, Clay was able to take the lead despite not registering a hit. The Flyers committed a couple errors in the field, allowing the Panthers to score three runs.

Saint Joseph was able to get one of those runs back in the third, as Landon Rowe led the inning off with single and reached second on a error. Then Rowe stole third and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game.

But then came the bottom of the third.

Clay sent 13 batters up to the plate in the inning and generated six hits to take a 10-3 lead.

During the scoring run, Cade Munion singled to score a run, but another error during the play allowed another run to score and give the Panthers a two-run lead.

Then London Sinclair hit an RBI single to score a run and advance to second on an error, then Evan Rider singled in another run and Aiden Ball followed up with a 2-RBI single to extend the lead to 9-3. The final run came on a fielder's choice.

The Panthers added another insurance run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Isaiah Whitt to make it 11-3.

Saint Joseph scratched across a run in the sixth after Aldridge blasted a pitch that hit the left center fence for a double, then scored when Neal grounded out to cut the deficit to seven.

Evan Rider picked up the win after coming on in relief in the second inning for Clay. Rider allowed just 3 hits, 2 earned runs, a walk and struck out 8 batters in 5 and 2/3 innings of work. Rider also helped himself out at the plate with a base hit and an RBI.

Zane Ball had Clay's only multi-hit game, going 2-2. Aiden Ball went 1-3 with a run batted in. Dawson James went 1-4 with an RBI, Cade Munion went 1-4 with an RBI, London Sinclair went 1-3 with an RBI, and Isaiah Whitt had a double and an RBI for the Panthers.

Carson Willis took the loss for the Flyers. Beckham Waginger and Carson Lyons both came on to replace Willis and finished the game out.

The Flyers return home to face Sciotoville East on Monday.

St. Joseph 021 001 0 = 4 4 5

Ports. Clay 037 100 x = 11 8 4

Carson Willis, Beckham Waginger (3), Carson Lyons (6) and Evan Aldridge. Zane Ball, Evan Rider (2) and Evan Rider, Isaiah Whitt (2). W-E. Rider (IP-5.2, H-3, R-2, ER-2, K-8, BB-1, WP-1). Ball (IP-1.1, H-1, R-2, ER-1, K-0, BB-1). L-Willis (IP-2.1, H-7, R-10, ER-6, K-5, BB-3, WP-1). Waginger (IP-1.2, H-0, R-1, ER-0, K-1, BB-4). Lyons (IP-2.0, H-1, R-0, ER-0, K-2, BB-0). Hitting- St. Joseph: Landon Rowe 1-4, Evan Aldridge 1-2 2B, Wesley Neal 1-3 2-RBI, Carter Johnson 1-3; Portsmouth Clay: Evan Rider 1-5 RBI, Aiden Ball 1-3 2-RBI, Zane Ball 2-2, Dawson James 1-4 RBI, Cade Munion 1-4 RBI, London Sinclair 1-3 RBI, Isaiah Whitt 1-3 RBI 2B.