Great Bend, KAN. - After falling behind in the first two innings, the Panthers scored 13 unanswered in their opening round game against Tabor College. The Bluejays swept the Panthers in regular season action, but York has been playing extremely well as of late, finishing the conference season on a 14-6 run.
Matt Lindsley (JR/Bakersfield, Calif) picked up the win allowing three runs over six innings. In the first inning Lindsley struggled to find his location as he walked the lead off batter on first straight pitches.Tabor's Freddy Walker singled, which put runner's at the corners with no outs. Lindsley was able to get the next three batters to ground out, but both runners were able to advance home for the 2-0 lead.
In the second inning a 3-2 pitch from Lindsley was belted over the right field fence. After that Lindsley took control and his offense picked up steam.
York scored two runs in the third inning on a two-out single by Travis Turner (JR/Selah, Wash). With two outs Dylan Roller (SR/Lee Summit, Mo) hit a blooper to center and DB Vidal (JR/Livermore, Calif) doubled to down the left field line. That set up Turner's at bat that would get York within one run.
The score stayed 3-2 in favor of Tabor until the sixth inning. In the sixth Isaiah Bond (SR/Union City, Calif) led off with a double, followed by a single from Jake Sola (SO/Lincoln, Calif). With runners at second and third and no outs Billy Damon (SR/Reno, Nev) tied the game with a single to left field. A sacrifice fly by Kevin Olmstead (SR/Grants Pass, Ore) scored Keenan Albracht (SR/Hart, Texas), pinch runner for Sola, and Casey Wagnon (JR/Fresno, Calif) singled in Damon to put the Panthers up 5-3.
In the seventh York added two more runs on three hits for the 7-3 lead. In the bottom half of the inning Lindsley gave up a lead off hit and a walk to put two runners on with no outs. Pitching coach Erik Gray went to his bullpen and brought in Corey Mixon (SR/Lake Isabella, Calif). His first pitch almost ended the inning as a sharp grounder to third had Jesse Morales (JR/Riverside, Calif) on the front end of a potential triple play. The Panthers weren't able to to the triple play, but got the double play and the lead runners. Mixon retired the next batter to preserve the four run lead for York.
In the eighth the Panthers scored five runs, thanks to Jake Sola hitting a 2-2 fastball over the left-center field fence on a rope. York added another run in the ninth on three hits to make it 13-3. Mixon allowed a one-out single in the bottom of the ninth but game ended two pitches later on a 3-4 double play.
York improves to 24-24 on the season and will face Friends University Friday night at 7:00 p.m.
