DURHAM, CA (MPG) – Despite rainouts and cancelations, the Maxwell baseball team has kept its focus and when given the opportunity to compete has shown that it is a force to be reckoned with after pushing its preseason record to 5-0 last Wednesday with a 3-0 shutout victory over Durham.
With the deepest pitching staff in the county, the Panthers sent Wyatt Roach to the mound and the freshman proved equal to the task, going sixth innings before giving way to Massey Baker, who tossed a scoreless seventh.
Roach, in his second start for the Panthers, yielded four hits and walked only two, while striking out four Trojan batters, an effort that impressed his coach Tyler Wells who said, “ No runner ever touched second until the fifth and after we made an error, he got out of the jam. Then in the sixth, he got a two-pitch ground out, gave up a single, but came back with a double play ball which was a five pitch inning.”
To close out the game, Baker overcame two walks to record the save.
In addition to the strong effort from its pitchers, Wells also praised the effort of outfielders Levi Velazquez and Brody Jones who he said each made “ beautiful game-changing catches in the outfield.”
on the mound.
At the plate, although managing just three hits, Maxwell capitalized on some sloppy play by the Trojans, putting the game’s first run on the board in the second and following up in the third with two more.
Baker and Yahir Alcaraz accounted for two of the Panthers’ hits, while Colt Montgomery and Landon Barrett each had a hit and an RBI.
Maxwell was scheduled to play Central Valley on Mar. 21, but the game was called off due to inclement weather in Shasta Lake.
Looking to keep its win streak alive, the Panthers traveled to Upper Lake on Mar. 25 and host Etna in a twin bill today.