Our Panther baseball team rode the arm of Mark McGraw, and relied on good defense and a little timely hitting to turn back a very good Stevens team Friday night at Northside Stadium.  O’Connor improved their district record to 7-1 by winning 3-2 in a hard-fought, close game.  McGraw pitched probably his best, most dominant game of the season, despite giving up his first earned run of the year.  McGraw struck out 11 and allowed only two hits while walking no one.  McGraw did hit a batter early after a disputed call the pitch before that may have been strike three.

The Panthers struck first in their half of the first after 3rd baseman T.J. Greene laced a 1 out single to right, and moved to 2nd base when McGraw looped a single of his own to right.  After catcher Jason Matyszczyk drew a 2 out walk, Greene scored the first run of the game on a wild pitch.  In the Stevens half of the 2nd inning, Panther 2nd baseman Matt Miranda made a highlight catch on the run in foul territory near the right field line, but Stevens managed to scratch out a run on a bad hop infield ground ball.  O’Connor centerfielder Jacob Galm singled to left in the bottom of the second after Nolan Polansky was hit by a pitch, but the Panthers could not push either of them around to score.  The score remained tied at 1 until the 4th when opposing pitcher Rene Soliz homered to left off McGraw for the first of only two Stevens hits on the day, giving Stevens a 2-1 lead.  The lead was short-lived, though, as McGraw stroked a 2-out single between 1st and 2nd in the Panther half, his second hit of the game.  Matyszczyk and O’Connor shortstop Landon Thompson followed with back to back extra base hits, which pushed 2 runs across for the Panthers.  Thompson tried to score from 2nd on a Mason Brauchle ground ball that found its way into the outfield, but a good throw by the Stevens left fielder cut Thompson down at the plate.  Stevens added a double to right center in the 7th inning, but that was all McGraw and the O’Connor defense allowed.  Stevens attempted a daring squeeze play, but McGraw fielded the bunt cleanly and flipped the ball to Matyszczyk who tagged the runner out at the plate on a close play.  The Panthers closed out the 3-2 win on a quiet ground ball to Greene at 3rd for the last out.

Senior Patrick Thrash and junior Wes Fleming appeared as pinch runners, with Thrash contributing a stolen base.  Fist bumps to Panther 1st baseman Tyler Mitchell for a great run-saving scoop early in the game, to Matt Miranda for his running catch, to Mark McGraw for an outstanding pitching performance, to Jason Matyszczyk and Landon Thompson for their big 2 out hits in the 5th inning, and to Matyszczyk again for 6 strikeout assists the hard way.

Panthers won 3-2

Panther leadoff batter Jacob Galm keeps his hands inside ball as he swings at an inside pitch.

Panther 1st baseman Tyler Mitchell takes a big cut while the Stevens bench looks on.

O’Connor shortstop Landon Thompson drives a pitch into right center for a double that plates the tying run for the Panthers.

O’Connor shortstop Landon Thompson gets tangled up with the Stevens catcher on a play at the plate.

O’Connor catcher Jason Matyszczyk puts the tag on the Stevens runner trying to score on a squeeze play in the 7th.