The O’Connor baseball Panthers got off to a great start in District play this season with an exciting 3-2 win over the Marshall Rams at Northside Stadium Wednesday night.  Panther fans held their collective breath all night, and were treated to a rare triple play (although by the wrong team).  Hits were hard to come by, and defense and pitching dominated for both teams, but the Panthers pulled it out in extra innings.
Mark McGraw, the 2009 District MVP, pitched the first 3 innings for the Panthers, holding the Rams to just 1 run.  Jason Matyszczyk relieved McGraw to start the 4th, and pitched the rest of the way for O’Connor, allowing only 1 run in his 5 innings of work.  Matyszczyk also had the 1st big hit for the Panthers in the 3rd inning, driving a ball into the right centerfield gap for a double, scoring both T. J. Greene and Landon Thompson, who had both singled in front of Matyszczyk.  Greene finished 2 for 3 with a walk in the game, while Thompson went 2 for 4.  Thompson nearly hit a dramatic, mammoth 2-run home run over the left field fence in the 8th with the score tied 2-2, but the ball curved foul.  In the same at bat, he drove the ball to the right centerfield fence for a double, scoring Mark McGraw, who had walked in front of Thompson.  That gave the Panthers a slim 1 run lead going into the bottom of the 8th.  Matyszczyk made it stand up, though, as he got the final 3 outs, carrying O’Connor to a 1-0 District record.
Matt Miranda added a double early, and Wes Fleming and Chance Davenport got their first varsity start in District play.  Davenport played great behind the plate, and Fleming, along with Jacob Galm and Will Salazar, played lock down outfield defense all night, which included a couple of great running catches by Galm in centerfield.  Juniors Casey Willet and Mason Brauchle saw action as pinch runners.

Jason Matyszczyk drives a 3rd-inning pitch into the right centerfield gap to drive in the Panthers first 2 runs of the game

O’Connor starting pitcher Mark McGraw winds up to deliver a pitch early in the game

Panther 1st-baseman T.J. Greene gets ready to swing

Panther shortstop Landon Thompson (3) is congratulated by Will Salazar (21) after scoring behind T.J. Greene (1) following Jason Matyszcyk’s 2-run double in the top of the 3rd inning

O’Connor head coach David Collenback preps his 2010 Panthers before taking the field in their first District game of the season

Panther centerfielder Jacob Galm ready to get his outfield warmup ball for the next inning