CARLISLE — Creston’s baseball team saw starting pitcher Cael Turner connect on a home run every three innings, but that wouldn’t be enough as the Panthers fell 6-2 to the Wildcats Monday night at Bob James Memorial Baseball Complex.
“It was the first game for me but it was also the first game for a lot of our guys,” Creston head coach and CCHS graduate Brandon Phipps said of his first game coaching. “I was really excited for them to get out there. I thought Cael got up there and got after it.”
After a scoreless first inning, Carlisle’s (1-0) Nate Castellano and Tate Heidemann earned a pair of runs.
With two outs in the top of the third inning, Turner got his first home run.
“Last year I started off kind of hot too,” Turner said. “I try to find my pitch, Phipps always talks about finding your zone and I found my zone.”
Finding one’s zone at the plate is crucial if one wants to add a hit next to their name on the box score.
“We talk a lot about finding your zone,” Phipps said. “We have our zone, we have our speed that we’re having in mind at the plate. He obviously got his pitch he was looking for and drove it.”
Two more Wildcats added runs to the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning.
Neither team added a run in the fourth inning.
Wildcat Tyler Deal opened the Carlisle half of the fifth inning with a triple, and soon thereafter crossed the plate to increase the Carlisle count to 5-2.
In the top of the sixth inning, Turner once again hit a home run.
“I did damage tonight,” Turner said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t amount to the win,” Turner added. “We’ve got to put it behind us and move on now.”
Gage Skarda went in of relief of Turner.
Talan Luong crossed the plate which finalized the score line.
Creston takes on IHSBCA No. 4 Winterset tonight at 7:30 p.m.
“We knew Carlisle was going to be good and we know Winterset is going to be good,” Phipps said. “I think we go out there and compete our butts off. We’ll compete the best we can, just like we will every night.”