By Hayden Ashby, Sports Editor
On Easter weekend, the Pellissippi State Panthers baseball team (28-20) triumphed over the Columbia State Chargers (26-23), losing the first game on Friday but defeating the Chargers in both Saturday games, ultimately winning the series.
In Game 1, the Panthers started out with a strong 5-1 lead by the third inning. However, the Chargers came back and dominated the middle innings, eventually building a commanding 15-5 lead in the top of the ninth inning. In the eleventh hour, Brice Njezic (#14) smashed a home run, signaling to the Chargers that the game wasn’t over yet. The Panthers had a huge push, scoring 6 runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, but it was simply not enough; they lost the game 15-11.
The following day was quite a different outcome. Seeking vengeance for Game 1, the Panthers were ready. Caden Channell (#24) hit a big home run in the second inning, setting the tone for the game; with a 2-0 lead, the Panthers were off to a good start, but the Chargers quickly started to come back. A big homer by Carson Hoffmeister (#2) kept the Panthers in the game, and the score was tied 4-4 in the top of the sixth inning. The Panthers, done toying with their opponents, proceeded to score 5 runs in the sixth inning and ended Game 2 with a 9-4 win.
Keeping their momentum, the Panthers entered Game 3 with full confidence and came out early with a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Chargers mustered all of the strength they could and closed the gap to 4-3. The Panthers, sensing the Chargers’ fatigue, drove the final nail into the coffin, with Connor Nelson (#13) and Jacob Dillon (#17) hitting homers in the fourth and sixth innings, respectively, and leading the Panthers to a 9-4 win.
The Panthers put on quite the show this past weekend, with 5 home runs and great playmaking both offensively and defensively in their final home games. They brought great energy and are optimistic for their next series: April 22 at Chattanooga State Community College.
