CHATHAM BASEBALL OPENS TITLE DEFENSE WITH A WIN

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

04-06-09 - Chatham opened their season on Thursday, April 2, when they traveled to Greenville to take on the Spartans. The Panthers came away victorious with a 10-3 win. Chatham got on the board first in the top of the 2nd when Cole Gleason led off the inning with a double, followed by a Mike Sirani walk. After a strikeout, Evan Young laced a single up the middle, and Matt Fischer followed with a line-drive sac-fly to right field to plate Gleason. In the top of the 3rd, the Panthers tacked on three more runs when Joe Cozzolino and Ryan Boehme had back to back singles, and Gleason tripled them in with a drive to right-center field. Mike Sirani followed with a sac-fly to center to score Gleason.

In the bottom of the 4th the Spartans got on the board when Zeitler led off with a double and moved to third on an infield error. Anthony Albin hit a comebacker to Chatham pitcher Cody Portin who hung up Zeitler between third and home for an out. Roger loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch, and Alex Albin hit into a fielder’s choice to score Fox. Portin escaped further damage by striking out Montalbano to end the inning.

The Panthers put up a big number in the top of the 5th when they plated 6 runs on 4 base on balls and 3 hits, including a two RBI single by Jordan Sirani. The final scoring took place for the Spartans on a two out, two RBI single by Hicks to run the score to 10-3.

Fox, Wagner and Rogers combined on the mound for the Spartans allowing 13 hits and 5 BBs and striking out 6. For the Panthers, Cody Portin went the distance in a 102-pitch effort. Portin struck out 6, allowed 1 BB, 1 HBP, scattered 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 earned runs, and picked off a runner.

For the Spartans, Zeitler had the double with Fox, Alex Albin, and Riley scoring the runs. For the Panthers, Jordan Sirani was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI, Joe Cozzolino was 3 for 5 with a double and a run, Cole Gleason was 2 for 4 with a double and a triple, 3 runs scored, a SB, and 2 RBI's and Matt Fischer was 1 for 2 with 2 RBI's and a run.

"I thought we turned in a solid first day. We hit up and down the lineup and had a lot of good at bats. Cody turned in a very good performance on the mound. He was economical with his pitches and hit his spots all day and the defense played well behind him."

The Panthers’ next game is Monday, April 6, at home against Greenville.