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Patton's power silences Tigers

Third-inning onslaught helps Panthers grab 1-0 lead in best-of-3 semifinal series

By Steve Winzenread | Independent Tribune

Published: May 28, 2009

MORGANTON — The Patton Panthers are rolling through the state baseball playoffs.
Just ask the Mount Pleasant Tigers.
The Tigers were game Thursday night, and opened a four-run lead through 2 1/2 innings in the first game of a best-of-3 NCHSAA 2A semifinal series.
Then came the bottom of the third inning.
Three home runs — including a grand slam — two triples, two doubles and an RBI single and the Panthers have scored 10 runs to go from three down to an 11-4 lead on the way to a 12-5 win.
Nothing new for them, though.
They have outscored five playoff opponents by a total of 37 runs.
"We got off to a great start," Mount Pleasant head coach Bryan Tyson said. "Then we got ahead 4-1, but we just didn't hold it.
"I've got to give their kids all the credit in the world. They hit the ball tonight. And we didn't hit it as good tonight."
Mount Pleasant's Ethan Ledbetter got the Tigers off to a great start, homering in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead.
After Patton answered with a home run in the bottom of the first, the Tigers scored three runs in the second.
Grayson Atwood led off with a single, Cory Huneycutt had an infield single and there was a throwing error on Andrew Carroll's bunt to score a run. Then with two outs, Evan Seymour hit a two-run single for the 4-1 lead.
Garrett Furr added a solo home run in the fifth inning for the Tigers.
Atwood, who had missed nearly two months of the season because of injury, returned and had two hits along with Furr.
Game two is at Mount Pleasant tonight at 7 p.m.
Tyson did not commit to starting Furr on the mound tonight, but noted that Mount Pleasant (24-7) is in a do-or-die situation.
Patton, which improved to 26-6 for the season, belted four home runs in the game.
"Some of those flyballs at our place are not home runs," Tyson said. "To their credit they got the ball up in the air, but at our place some of those balls are not home runs."