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The Panther baseball team got to see their Class 3A-8 opening opponent first hand Thursday in a senior night sweep in their doubleheader with Denison-Schleswig.
Creston won game one 13-10 and game two 7-1.
The Panthers tallied 17 hits in 34 at bats in game one.
“The first game we got after it, our bats were on fire,” coach Brandon Phipps said.
Denison-Schleswig got two runs in the top of the first inning, but Creston got bat to the ball in response and put three up.
The Monarchs tied the game at 4 in the top of the third, however that’s as close as Denison-Schleswig would get as Creston outscored the guests 9-1 over the next 3 1/2 innings.
The Panthers gave up five runs in the seventh inning. Creston held on with three pitching changes, three walks allowed and two hit batters.
“It got a little interesting,” Phipps said. “At the end of the day, a win is a win and we’ll take it and roll with it. Pitching and defense have to be a little better in district play.”
In the second game, Creston outhit Denison-Schleswig 12-4, but the game was a gridlock until the bottom of the fourth inning when Gannon Greenwalt scored on a Dylan Hoepker fly out.
Cael Turner and Dylan Hoepker combined for 11 strikeouts, with Turner fanning nine Monarchs on his own.
“Cael was locked in on the hill,” Phipps said. “Good crowd and he just enjoyed the energy, D-Hoep in with the close.”
Dylan Calvin and Jack Walter scored in the bottom of the fifth to push their lead to 3-0.
Trey Brotherton got Denison-Schleswig’s lone run in the top of the sixth.
The Panthers tallied four more in the bottom of the sixth which cemented the senior night sweep.
“Ultimately we’re going to see them in a week,” Phipps said. “District play is a whole different ball game. I think we’ll be ready to go.”
Creston finishes their regular season 13-15 and 12-8 in Hawkeye 10 action.
With the exception of Raccoon River Conference member Carroll and South Central Conference member Clarke, 3A-8 is comprised of Hawkeye 10 foes Lewis Central, Denison-Schleswig, Harlan, Glenwood and Atlantic.
“It is kind of nice knowing who you’re going to see,” Phipps said. “We know we’re going to see Denison and we know we’re going to see LC. The way things shake out, we’ll see another Hawkeye 10 team in the substate final if that’s how things shake out. We’re going to respect them but we’re not going to fear them, that’s kind of my motto right now ‘Respect all but fear none’.”
Seniors honored
Avery Fuller and Gage Skarda are the lone seniors on the 2022 Panther baseball squad, the duo combined for three runs.
“They mean the world to me,” Phipps said. “They sacrifice. They sacrifice time, they sacrifice their summer it’s one of those deals where it’s only two of them and they just have each other. I think they’ve been great leaders for our team.”
Lewis Central trip
On Monday, Creston fell 10-0 and 15-1 at No. 2 Lewis Central.
“They got after us,” Phipps said. “Defensively we weren’t very good and pitching we weren’t very good. Ultimately, our JV guys got a lot of time pitching. LC is a good team.”