BASEBALL: BEACONS CAN’T HOLD A CANDLE TO PANTHERS

John LaPierre

He/Him

Staff Writer

4/19/24

With weeks of flooding and awful conditions on Parish Field, the Panthers were finally able to play a home game at Robbie Mills Field in Laconia, NH, their home for the season. The Plymouth State Panthers (6-9 overall and 3-3 in the Little Eastern Conference) faced an outstanding Umass Boston (18-8 overall and 8-2 in the Little Eastern Conference). Panther sophomore Tyler Hicks and Beacons sophomore Ethan Hunt took the starting pitching duties. Hunt was 6-1 overall, with 25 hits and 11 runs allowed on the season with 33.1 innings pitched. Hicks was 1-3 overall, with 10 hits and 15 runs allowed with 5.1 innings pitched.

Freshman Brandon Gaer kicked things off for the Beacons with a three run homerun in the top of the first. Panther Luke Sokolski shot back with two men on base, scoring an RBI which brought one runner in. Brendan Flynn also tallied an RBI off of his single. Nick Healey’s single led to two men scoring. Continuing this incredible first inning, Josh Worthington crushed a three run homerun. The Panthers closed the inning up 7-3.

Justin Gouveia singled in the second, which drove in the Beacons’s only run of the second inning. The Panthers went a quick inning with all three batters of Jackson Curtis, Soloski, and Flynn all getting out. 

Aiden Blake triples to center field to spark the third inning. He was the only runner to score for Umass Boston off Mike Meagher’s ground out. The Panthers only scored one run off Worthington’s single, where Sam Malgeri scored the lonely run. 

The Beacons tacked on another run in the fourth when Mariano Jimenez hit a solo homerun. The Panthers quickly responded with Sokolski, Quinn, and Malgeri all hitting solo home runs to extend the Panthers lead to 11-6.

Boston Burris singled to get on base for the Beacons. Gaer tallied an RBI, which brought home Blake for a one run outing. Plymouth was unable to tally a run in the bottom of the fifth inning. 

Jimenez continued his evening for the Beacons with a single in the top of the sixth inning. He then managed to reach second after a wild pitch. Justin Gouevia singled as well, which advanced Jimenez to third. Burris’s sacrifice fly out allowed Jimenez to tag up and score. Gouevia also scored in the inning. The Panthers had another quick 1-2-3 inning.

With the first two batters for the Beacons out in the top of the seventh inning, Jimenez singled. Gouevia singled as well, but ultimately the Beacons started two men to close the inning. Malgeri walked for the Panthers, and Healey got hit by a pitch at the next at bat. Worthington singled to make another spectacular inning for the Panthers. Malgeri scored after Scooter Summa reached base due to an error, and the Panthers climbed to 13-9.

Gaer added another single in the top of the eighth. Meagher followed with a double. Luke Leavitt was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases for the Beaconds. Unable to drive in any runs, the Beacons ended the inning. The Panthers played another quick 1-2-3 inning at bat.

After another opportunity for the Beacons with a Goevia single, Burris single, and Blake hit-by-pitch, they couldn’t generate any runs, which ended the game in the top of the ninth. Final score at Robert Millis Field: Panthers victory, 13-9.

Luke Sokolski credited the Panthers’ success to their momentum from the first inning. “It was huge,” he said. “They came out in the top of the first and put up three runs, which can be a deathbed for a team. But when we shot back and put up seven runs there was no stopping us. I think that really set the precedent for the game, giving us all the energy and momentum.”

Next up, the Panthers will take on non conference opponent Colby-Sawyer for a doubleheader at the Kelsey Baseball Field in New London,NH on Thursday April 18th at 1:30 and 3:30pm.