Deerfield baseball defeated in extra innings by Palmyra-Eagle

In a game dominated by strong pitching, the final out between Deerfield and Palmyra-Eagle would come down to the final strike.

Palmyra-Eagle senior pitcher Sean Dooley caught Deerfield junior Aiden Brown looking on a 3-2 pitch for a strikeout, clinching a 5-4 win for the Panthers in extra innings on Monday, May 13 at Deerfield High School.

Dooley helped send the game into extra innings, scoring on a flyout from senior Travis Tiller in the top of the seventh that tied the game at 2-2. In extra innings, the Panthers took advantage of the new life.

With the bases loaded with one out in the top of the eighth, senior Noah Taylor grounded into a fielder’s choice that scored senior Sloan Schneider and gave the Panthers a 3-2 lead.

Dooley then hit a two-run single to score Taylor and senior Hunter Pagel, pushing the lead to 5-2.

In the bottom of the eighth, Deerfield sophomore Declan Pohlman and senior Kris Hahn hit back-to-back singles to reach base with nobody out.

After Dooley recorded a strikeout to put one away, Deerfield senior Adam Suess made the score 5-3 with an RBI single, scoring Pohlman. With two runners on, Dooley got the second out with another strikeout.

However, on the first pitch of the next at-bat to Brown, a passed ball allowed Hahn to score and moved Suess to second base, putting the tying run in scoring position with the score 5-4.

Dooley, however, would leave Suess stranded at second, ending a seven pitch at-bat with Brown by recording a strikeout to end the game.

Palmyra-Eagle junior Devin Patrick pitched seven innings in a no-decision, recording nine strikeouts. Patrick also drove in Taylor on an RBI single in the first for the other Panther run.

For Deerfield, senior Austin Anderson drove in junior Mesfin Draxler on an RBI single in the third. Suess scored Hahn on an RBI single in the sixth for Deerfield’s other two runs.

Hahn pitched six innings in a no-decision, recording 10 strikeouts. Suess added two innings of relief, recording one strikeout.

With the Panthers win, Palmyra-Eagle (17-2) moves into second place in the Trailways-South Conference with a record of 10-1. Deerfield (11-6) is currently in third in conference with a record of 8-1.

Both teams will square off again on Thursday, May 17 at Palmyra-Eagle High School. Johnson Creek holds the top spot in the conference standings with a record of 10-0.

The Panthers have one game remaining against Johnson Creek, while the Demons have two.