Panthers ride five-game winning streak

ATLANTIC — In what’s started as a hot-or-cold season for the Panthers, Creston is riding high on a five-game win streak after taking down Atlantic Tuesday on the road.

Creston (9-7, 6-4) defeated the Trojans (1-9, 1-8) 12-4 after a seven-run seventh inning.

The Panthers sit in third place in the Hawkeye 10 behind Lewis Central (12-4, 10-0) and Harlan (10-5, 6-2).

LC swept the Panthers last week and Creston split with Harlan in May. Their fourth conference loss was dealt by Red Oak.

The Panthers rotated four pitchers against the Trojans.

“Landyn Scherer got the win on the mound, but our bullpen led by Brady McDonald was outstanding,” coach Brandon Phipps said. “Cason Scarberry and Camden Smith did a nice job attacking the zone late in the game.”

McDonald logged five strikeouts and Scherer added two.

Creston had a 4-2 lead after the fourth quarter with two runs coming in from McDonald and one each by Parker Varner and Smith.

Senior Brayden Schoon scored on a passed ball in the sixth to take a three-run lead, but the Trojans would put up a fight in the bottom of the sixth.

A triple by Atlantic’s Grant Petty started the momentum, and the Trojans scored two to go down by just one heading into the final inning.

Endurance proved to be Creston’s strong suit as the Panthers sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh inning, scoring seven runs.

Varner, Smith and Logan Stehr each had singles in the seventh while Schoon had a double and Varner came back up to bat with a triple later in the inning.

Scoring in the final inning were Varner, Smith, Schoon, Stehr, Tanner Ray, Tommy Sand and McDonald.

Schoon and Stehr led the Panthers, each batting in two runs. Varner was consistent at bat with two singles and a triple. He also earned a spot on first on a Trojan error.

The Panthers hosted Red Oak Thursday in a Hawkeye 10 matchup. Today they will host Clarke in a doubleheader, game one to begin at 5:30 p.m.