Prairie City improved to 10-5 with a doubleheader pounding of the North Lake Cowboys at Dayville on April 23. The Panthers won the first game 19-0 and the second 18-2.

Michael Bass earned the first-game victory pitching the full five innings, striking out 11, while giving up only one hit and one walk.

“Michael pitched real well,” said Panther Coach Shannon Voigt. “He stayed ahead of the hitters most of the day.”

Cole Winegar led the Panthers attack going 3-3 with a home run. Kenny Clingman reached base twice with two hits and Rachael Sagaser reached base twice with two walks.

Voigt expressed his pleasure with the support Bass received in the field.

“I was pleased with our overall defense,” Voigt said, “most especially with Rachael Sagaser in left field and Eddy Hicks in center. Hicks was playing a new position for us.”

In the second game Hicks took the hill and threw all five innings, striking out six, while giving up only three hits and two walks. “This was Eddy’s second appearance on the mound for us and he’s only a freshman,” said Voigt. “He showed very good control with his pitching today.”

The Panthers bombarded North Lake with 16 hits. Kenny Clingman led the way, going 3-4 with a homer. Levi Voigt was 3-5, Winegar 2-2, Bass 2-4 and Brenton Groves 2-4.

The sweep was especially pleasing to Coach Voigt after a difficult afternoon on April 20 when the Panthers lost two games to Joseph. In Game 1, Levi Voigt gave up only four runs but the Panthers couldn’t get a run across.

“We needed to compete with our bats better,” said Coach Voigt of that 4-0 loss. “We only had two hits.”

The Panthers lost the second game to Joseph by a score of 18-8. “We were up 6-1 and then the wheels came off and the game got away from us,” said Coach Voigt.

The losses to Joseph dropped Prairie City to 2-2 in Special District 6 league play. The Panthers’ next game is at home May 1 for a league doubleheader against Union.