Panthers strike early at Stuart

STUART — Capping off a 5-0 week, the Creston baseball team struck early in a 10-2 victory Friday night at West Central Valley.

One night earlier, the Panthers scored 10 runs in the top of the seventh inning to break open a 15-4 victory over Red Oak in Hawkeye Ten Conference play. Friday was a different recipe, bolting to a 6-0 lead in the first two innings. Coach Brandon Phipps substituted liberally after taking a 10-0 lead in the fifth inning, when the Wildcats staved off a 10-run mercy rule ending with a pair of runs in the bottom half.

Creston finished with 15 hits while pitchers Parker Varner, Tom Mikkelsen and Quinten Fuller allowed only three Wildcats hits.

Senior shortstop Cael Turner was 4-of-4 with 3 runs scored for the Panthers. McCoy Haines doubled twice with two RBIs and Gavin Millslagle doubled and singled. Mikkelsen and Dylan Hoepker each had two hits. At the top of the order, Hoepker and Turner ignited the running game with five of the team’s 11 stolen bases.

Three of Creston’s five errors occurred in the final three innings with multiple substitutions in effect, but overall Phipps was pleased with his team’s finishing touch on a sparkling week.

“It was good to get everybody in with no JV game tonight,” Phipps said. “Overall it was pretty clean baseball. I just think the younger guys had a little nerves. We came out swinging the bats really good and ran the bases well, too.”

Varner, who started the week with a complete game victory over Kuemper Catholic, was lifted after 3 1/3 innings scoreless innings Friday.

“Parker managed his pitches well and did what we wanted him to do,” Phipps said. “We wanted to get him out under 65 pitches so he could be available Monday if needed to close or something. Q (Fuller) looked really good tonight. Mikkelsen was fine. He just lost a little focus with his control after our long inning.”

Creston clung to a 5-4 lead going into the seventh inning Thursday at Red Oak before a 10-run outburst. Milo Staver got the pitching win with Tanner Ray tossing two shutout innings for the save.

“We said let’s get a little insurance and we got 10 runs,” Phipps said. “We just caught barrels. Q had a bases-clearing triple as a pinch-hitter.”

Hoepker and Sam Henry each had three hits, including a double. Turner doubled twice and cored three runs. Mikkelsen had a pair of hits.

The Panthers improved to 16-6 overall with Friday’s win and stand second in the conference at 10-2 going into Monday’s home game against Council Bluffs St. Albert Catholic (7-11, 5-6).

Hoepker, who sparked the offense in the leadoff spot Friday with a pair of hits and two runs scored, is the likely starter on the mound Monday.