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District Champions!
The Sheldon Panthers are back-to-back district champions.
Top-seeded Sheldon captured the Class 1 District 7 baseball crown after flattening sixth-seeded McAuley Catholic, 15-0, in Thursday’s title tilt at Lyons Stadium.
“It shows consistency,” said first-year Sheldon head coach, Jacob Well. “Two years in a row, that’s tough to do, playing against all these good teams we’ve played.”
The Panthers got off to a fast start, via senior catcher Clayton Loyd’s first inning inside-the-park two-run homerun, and led 3-0 after one inning of play.
Sheldon then padded their cushion with a pair of runs in the second, increasing their advantage to five runs.
With their five-run lead intact entering the home-half of the fourth, the Panthers finished off McAuley Catholic, plating 10 runs in the frame.
Isaac Hall got the party started with a two-RBI triple to left-center field, putting Sheldon in front, 7-0. An error, and a bases loaded walk stretched the Panthers lead to nine. Dominic Goforth’s RBI-infield single plated Connor Duncan, as Sheldon led, 10-0.
Panthers’ starting pitcher Jason Leavell then aided his own cause, as his 2-RBI double to deep left-center handed Sheldon a 12-0 lead.
After batting around in the order, and with the bases loaded, the final blow came on Hall’s bases-clearing double, concluding the contest in run-rule fashion.
Leavell, meanwhile, was dynamite on the hill, tossing four scoreless frames, while allowing just one hit and striking out three en route to the pitching victory.
“Jason was able to locate his fastball, and throw the breaking ball with consistency,” noted Well, of Leavell’s efficient 45-pitch outing.
Well said the key to his team’s success has been a combination of terrific pitching and good defense. “Today, we limited errors, and that was the reason we were able to win,” Well said.
Sheldon (7-6) plays host to Weaubleau (17-9) in the Class 1 state tournament sectionals.
First pitch is slated for 5 p.m., Monday, at Lyons Stadium.
