PORTIN SHUTS DOWN ‘STANGS AS CHATHAM PICKS UP A WIN

Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor

04-25-09 - The Mustangs of Cairo-Durham visited the Panthers on Thursday for a Patroon Conference showdown. Both teams matched their aces on the mound, with Cairo's Hunter Phillips matching up against Cody Portin for the Panthers. Both teams had their chances early with threats in the first two innings, but each failed to score.

The Mustangs took the lead in the top of the third when Phillips singled home Gary Kern. Cairo continued the rally by loading the bases, but Portin induced a ground ball comebacker off the bat of Frank Hines for a 1-2-3 double play to thwart the rally at one run. Portin stranded two more runners in the fourth.

Then in the bottom half of the inning, the Panthers got the sticks going, scoring 5 runs on four hits and a sac fly. Parker Niles had a two-out 2-RBI single, and Portin helped his cause with an RBI single in the inning. In the bottom of the sixth, Chatham put it out of reach when they added 3 more runs on back-to-back two-out RBI singles off the bats of Ryen Boehme and Jordan Sirani. Matt Fischer followed it up by scoring on a wild pitch to push the Panther lead to 8-1.

The Phillips brothers combined to take the loss for the Mustangs, going for 8 runs (5 earned) on 11 hits, walking three and hitting one while striking out two batters. Cody Portin went the distance for the Panthers allowing just the 1 unearned run while walking five and scattering 6 hits and striking out two batters.

"Cody and the defense was the story of the game today. Cody pitched himself out of trouble in each of the first four innings, but the big one was the double-play ball he got in the third inning. He kept the ball down and let his defense make plays behind them," said Panthers coach Scott Steltz via email.

"Sixteen of the 21 outs were ground-ball outs and that is what we want out of him. Defensively we made a lot of solid plays behind him that kept us close until we got the bats going. Offensively we had eight of the nine starters record one or more hits, and when you get that kind of production from quality at-bats up and down the lineup, it can wear the other team out," added Steltz.

Brian Gauthier led the way for Chatham tallying a 3 for 4 day with a double and a stolen base. Cole Gleason was also 2 for 3 with a double and RBI for the Panthers. Six different players stroked singles for the Mustangs.

"Cairo is a good team and that is a quality win. We need to come out and match our effort all around tomorrow."

The Panthers return to action Friday when they travel to Cairo-Durham. After the second showdown with the Mustangs, a back-to-back battle with Columbia County rival Hudson is on tap for next Wednesday and Thursday.

Chatham’s record is 7-0 and 9-1 overall. Cairo falls to 2-3 and 7-3 overall.