PANTHERS KEEP BATS GOING

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

04-21-09 - Chatham racked up yet another Patroon Conference victory on Monday, improving to 6-0 in the league with a 21-3 win over Rensselaer. The Panthers helped the Rams break in their new field, but it was Chatham doing most of the celebrating at the new facility. Chatham scored 21 runs on 20 hits with seven of the nine starters garnering multi-hit performances, and all nine starters scoring at least one run.

Parker Niles went 3-5 with 2 doubles, a stolen base, 4 runs, and 3 RBIs to lead the way for the Panthers. Cody Portin racked up 3 hits, including a double, while scoring 3 runs, and Mike Sirani added 2 hits, including a two-run home run and 3 runs scored. Joe Cozzolino kept up his torrid pace as the powerful lefty went 3-4 with 2 home runs and 7 RBIs.

Matt Fischer picked up his second win of the season on the mound for Chatham giving up 2 runs on 3 hits and 5 walks while also striking out 7. Fischer added 3 hits including 2 doubles and 3 runs at the plate. Chris Williams and Evan Young combined to close out the game for the Panthers allowing 2 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3.

"I am proud of the way the guys played. We played hard from start to finish and didn’t let the weather affect us," said Chatham coach Scott Steltz via email. "Fish [Fischer] worked himself out of some jams early and settled in nice, and Evan [Young] and Chris [Williams] did a nice job closing it out. Obviously we swung the bats well, but more importantly, we continued to have patient, disciplined at-bats, and that is what we want to take into the latter part of the week when we face off against a good Cairo team."

Chatham returns to action on Thursday when they host Cairo-Durham.