TRURO — A season that showed dramatic improvement in almost all areas came to an end for the Panorama baseball team Tuesday when Interstate-35 scored in the top of the ninth to claim a 5-4 win in their Class 2A District 14 semifinal.
The Roadrunners (15-14) were the visiting team in the game and grabbed a 2-0 lead in the third before the Panthers answered with a single tally. Each team scored single runs in both the fifth and sixth frames, giving I-35 a 4-3 lead entering the seventh.
Panorama forced extra innings with a run in the bottom half of the seventh, with I-35 eventually claiming the win by scoring an unanswered run in the ninth.
The Panthers bow out at 15-14 overall after a 13-9 season in the WCAC. They were 7-16 and 5-13, respectively, in 2018.
Drew Taylor threw 5-1/3 innings for Panorama, allowing four runs (three earned) on four hits and five walks while striking out 10. Brice Taylor finished, yielding an unearned run on a hit and three walks while fanning four.
The offense was led by a double and two singles from Drew Taylor, with Evan Taylor adding a double and a base hit. Preston Walker, Koltin Sloss and Brice Taylor also had hits for the Panthers.
Evan Taylor and Brice Taylor each drove in a run, with Evan Taylor scoring twice while Drew Taylor and Austin Block also touched the plate.
Mick Van Feldt went six innings for I-35. He allowed four runs (three earned) on eight hits and four walks and struck out seven. Mason Cassady tossed three stanzas, striking out two.
Cassady had a single, three stolen bases and two runs scored, with Joey Bregar scoring once and walking three times. Caleb Hobart had two hits and two RBIs, with Colter Beck adding a double, a single and two steals.
The loss end the prep careers of Hunter Holmes, Noah Kirtley, Levi Richey and Koltin Sloss.
The Panthers are coached by Brian Bahrenfuss.
