Six-run Sixth Lifts Dwyer Past Seminole Ridge

A six-run sixth inning turned a nail-biter into an 11-3 win for the homestanding Dwyer Panthers over Seminole Ridge on Monday night.

Late in a tight 5-3 game, the Panthers responded with some timely hitting. After Jackson Miller drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Malachi Rivas, Dwyer’s Bryce Jackson delivered a two-run single, chasing home both Chris Jackson and Devyn Rolle.

Then with two outs in the inning, Kody Morgan struck the final blow, a three-run homer to center field.

“The team played well; pitchers threw well, hitters had timely hitting,” said Dwyer manager Jordan Yamamoto. “And there is not much more you can ask from a great bunch of kids. Everyone did their job. Everyone contributed. And they passed the torch at the plate.”

The Panthers, now 4-3 this season, used a four-run second inning to take a 5-0 lead early. Rolle keyed the rally with a two-run double.

But Seminole Ridge, 2-4 so far this season, answered with a three-run third to make it a ballgame. Justin Precanico delivered an RBI single, scoring Kyle Latham, before Nikolas Halleran ripped a two-run double, sending home both Michael Donals and Luke Vento.

“We were right in it pretty much for the entire game,” said Seminole Ridge manager Carmine Cioffoletti. “We went down early, 5-0, and responded in the top half of the third with three runs – kept the game within two (runs) for most of the time.

“We made a few critical mistakes throughout the game. Early on just made a couple of mental errors in the field that kind of allowed them to get ahead early. But I really felt like when we put up three in the top of the third that our bats were coming around.

Cioffoletti said he thought his team put together some tough Abs throughout the game.

“We were attacking early in the count, hunting the fastball,” Cioffoletti said. “That was our plan for tonight – hunt the fastball early, don’t let them get us into a negative count. We always want to work ahead as batters.

“We were doing a good job of laying off some bad pitches. Ultimately, we ran into a really good team tonight, faced some really good arms. I felt the game was a lot closer than 11-3. But that six-spot in the bottom of the sixth really put the game out of reach. Kind of made the game feel like it wasn’t as close as it was.”

Cioffoletti said he liked what he saw from his two moundsmen as well.

“Ultimately, I felt like we had some good pitching from Justin Precanico,” he said. “I felt like Jaiden Walton gave us some good relief. John Hallerin came in and did a good job of keeping them where they were.”

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