Skyler Hoffer stepped up to the mound to open up the game between the Liberty County Panthers and the Benedictine Cadets Friday afternoon. He would step off the mound after 5 innings as the Panthers decided they wanted an early night and took the Cadets down 13-2.
"He only gave up one earned run," Panther coach Steve Cotrell said. "It's nice to get a win, especially in 5 innings."
Cotrell said the Cadets actually had a few things go their way early in the game, giving them an early 3-1 lead.
"All of a sudden our guys got that fire in their eyes and started hitting," he said. "Suddenly it became contagious and we put a seven spot on the board in the third and a six spot in the fourth. They were all legitimates hits. We may have taken one or two runs on stolen bases but we swung the bat today."
Cotrell said he preached to his players all season about the power of the bat and the hits.
"People will be scared of us if we start swinging the bat," he told his players. "Batter 1-9 did a great job today, every single one of them had a hit or RBI. We will take about five minutes to enjoy this win but then it's back to work as we face South Effingham tomorrow (Saturday)."
Cotrell said everyone kept asking him about the South Effingham game scheduled for Saturday afternoon. It pitted the Panthers against a team currently and historically ranked at the top of the region.
"Baseball is one of those games where you have to take one game at a time," he said. "We had a good win Friday and now we hope to have a good win on Saturday, that's how you play the game. Somewhere down the line you need to have the guys who are going to win the game for you and tonight we had four or five guys tonight that stepped up. We have a freshman, Joe Watkins; he stepped up and gave us some big innings, Paul Davis, Justin Eaton, Chris Arnold, Skyler and all of them. I'll start any one of those guys and know we'll have a good game and a win."
"He only gave up one earned run," Panther coach Steve Cotrell said. "It's nice to get a win, especially in 5 innings."
Cotrell said the Cadets actually had a few things go their way early in the game, giving them an early 3-1 lead.
"All of a sudden our guys got that fire in their eyes and started hitting," he said. "Suddenly it became contagious and we put a seven spot on the board in the third and a six spot in the fourth. They were all legitimates hits. We may have taken one or two runs on stolen bases but we swung the bat today."
Cotrell said he preached to his players all season about the power of the bat and the hits.
"People will be scared of us if we start swinging the bat," he told his players. "Batter 1-9 did a great job today, every single one of them had a hit or RBI. We will take about five minutes to enjoy this win but then it's back to work as we face South Effingham tomorrow (Saturday)."
Cotrell said everyone kept asking him about the South Effingham game scheduled for Saturday afternoon. It pitted the Panthers against a team currently and historically ranked at the top of the region.
"Baseball is one of those games where you have to take one game at a time," he said. "We had a good win Friday and now we hope to have a good win on Saturday, that's how you play the game. Somewhere down the line you need to have the guys who are going to win the game for you and tonight we had four or five guys tonight that stepped up. We have a freshman, Joe Watkins; he stepped up and gave us some big innings, Paul Davis, Justin Eaton, Chris Arnold, Skyler and all of them. I'll start any one of those guys and know we'll have a good game and a win."