Photo by Sam Sawyer
With Orange’s already injury-plagued pitching staff playing three games in three days in the Hilltop Invitational, the Panthers could have used a complete game on Tuesday night.
While senior Cam Brown didn’t go the distance, he came close enough.
Brown struck out a career-high eight batters over six innings as the Panthers overpowered Rolesville 7-0 at Orange Baseball Field to win its second game in two nights. In the four team event, Orange was the only squad to win its opening two games.
At the plate, Brown scored two runs.
Going into Tuesday night, Brown’s previous career-high for strikeouts was six, which came against Southeast Alamance on March 3 and Walter Williams on March 6. In the absence of several players nursing injuries, Brown is in his first season as a full-time starter.
Orange led 2-0 until the sixth inning, when the Panthers broke it wide open. Orange sent nine batters to the plate in the sixth, scoring five runs as they got to the Rams bullpen.
The Rams (4-10) opened the Hilltop Invitational with a 4-0 victory over Voyager Academy on Monday afternoon.
Orange (8-6) climbed back over .500 for the first time since winning the season-opener against Riverside on February 25.
The Rams left seven runners on base, five in scoring position. Rolesville loaded the bases in the opening inning. Mitchell Pufky reached on a fielder’s choice after freshman Ben Knowles threw out Cayden Mace at second base. Catcher Zach Overton reached on an infield single and Kethan Boykin walked to load the bases. Brown struck out centerfielder Deacon Hensley on three pitches to shut down the Rolesville threat. Pufky would be the only Ram to touch third base all night.
Kayden Bradsher, in his second game back after missing the first eleven games of the season due to injury, went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. He opened the third inning with a single to centerfield. J.P Rodio grounded to second baseman Richie Font, who threw to Pufky to retire Bradsher. With Rodio safe at first off a fielder’s choice, Josh Lossman walked. Oliver Van Tiem lined a fastball to the right centerfield, the deepest part of the ballpark. Rodio streaked home easily off the double to break open a scoreless game.
Brown helped his own cause in the in the fourth inning. With two outs, Brown reached on an infield single. Instead of accepting a courtesy runner, Brown stole second base. Bradsher followed with a laser to right field for a single, scoring Brown easily to put the Panthers ahead 2-0.
On the mound, Brown got into a groove in the middle innings. After Hensley led off the fourth inning with a flair to left field for a single, Brown retired eight in a row, including three strikeouts.
Brown was at 94 pitches when he retired William Gilliam with a flyout to Van Tiem in centerfield to end the sixth. With Orange leading 2-0, it appeared the Panthers may have to go to its bullpen for the seventh for a potential save situation.
But the Panthers took the drama out of it in the bottom of the sixth. The Rams replaced starting pitcher Wesley Mullen, who allowed two runs in five innings. Freshman Ben Knowles and Brown each drew walks against reliever Steven Locus. Knowles went to third off a wild pitch and then scored when Bradsher hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, which was caught by Hensley.
Brown went to third base off Bradsher’s fly ball and scored off a wild pitch with J.P Rodio at the plate. Rodio walked, stole second and third base with Lossman at the plate. Van Tiem delivered his own sacrifice fly to Hensley, allowing Rodio to score.
Gavin Clayton, running for Lossman, scored when Evan Parker reached on a ball that was booted by Rolesville’s first baseman. Wren Hash delivered an RBI single to plate Parker.
