Game 1- The Panola Ponies win game one over the Norsemen in a battle to start the season(7-11). The Norsemen jumped out on top with one run in the first. The Ponies matched the effort in the bottom of the inning. The Ponies extended their lead in the third inning extending the score to 1-5. The Norsemen battled back throughout the game and reduced the deficit to one run in the seventh inning powered by a few successful at-bats from the Norsemen lineup. Loic Guillemette got the rally going in the fifth inning with a solo home-run to left field that provided a boost the Norsemen needed. The Ponies relied heavily on their defense to make plays as the Norsemen tallied up 13 hits through the game, while the Ponies had 10 hits. Kaleb Anderson had a solid day at the plate with 3 hits in 5 plate appearances leading the day with 3 RBI's. Raine Kreklewetz went 3 for 5, and Guillemette also went 3 for 5 for the day. The Norsemen struggled on the mound today allowing 11 walks and giving up 10 hits. Coach Ward stated that it was a "very positive day played against a really good team that was well prepared." The Norsemen will be looking to bounce back tomorrow at 1:00 pm as they move into day two with a doubleheader here in Carthage, Texas.
Game 2- The Norsemen start off the second day of the series with a nail biter. The Ponies started the game by scoring three runs in the bottom of the first to take an early lead.
Dylan Akers got the start for the second game. He went four innings and gave up 3 runs, 2 hits, while striking out 6 batters on the day. The Norsemen had a swing in momentum when sophomore
Eliott Marin hit a 3-run home-run to tie the ball game 3-3. They later took the lead on a strong offensive in the fifth inning extending the lead 8-3. Marin came in to relieve Akers on the mound. Marin gave a solid inning in the bottom of the fifth, striking out the side. The Ponies battled back in the sixth reducing the deficit to 8-6. Panola's offense found a way to hit the gaps against the Norsemen defense in the bottom of the seventh to win game 2 in a thriller (8-9).
Game 3-
Marek Lalonde started game three on the mound for the Norsemen. This game started as a pitching duel with neither team scoring till the Ponies were able to find a way to score in the bottom of the third inning. Panola relied heavily on their pitching staff as they were able to silence the Norsemen until the fifth inning. The game changing at-bat from
Loic Guillemette gave the Norsemen just what they needed to fill the stadium with energy. The Norsemen loaded the bases on base hits from Zac Menard and
Raine Kreklewetz, then a hit by pitch on
Gram Mitchell. Then Guillemette hits a grand slam to right field that puts the Norsemen up 4-3. The Ponies continued to work back into the game and took the lead late, however the Norsemen took the lead in the seventh inning.
Andrew Jamgotchian came in late on the mound for the Norsemen striking out 3 hitters. The Norsemen come out with a 7-6 victory over the Panola Ponies.
