Prep baseball: Panthers beat the rain and the Warriors

May 26—KEOSAUQUA — How did the Pekin High School baseball team do on what was scheduled to be opening night for the Panthers against Danville?

"We got pounded," Pekin head coach Curtis Reighard said.

Wait for it.

"By the rain," Reighard continued.

The Panthers had to wait an extra 24 hours to play their first game of the 2021 campaign after Mother Nature won out on Monday, raining out Pekin's scheduled home game with Danville. On Tuesday, Pekin edged out both Van Buren County and Mother Nature behind a brilliant start on the mound from Chase Stansberry and a timely rally in the third that lifted the Panthers to a 3-2 win over Van Buren County at Fred Perkins Field located on Keosauqua's new Ferguson Sports Complex.

"You can tell that we had a year off from COVID-19," Reighard said. "Anytime you get win against (Van Buren County head baseball coach) Chad (Scott) and his team, it's fortunate. We weren't swinging very good at the plate. We weren't seeing the baseball. You can tell it's a new year and we're just not quite into the full swing of it yet, but a win like this is great."

Stansberry was the star of Pekin's first official game, which became official after Stansberry struck out Jackson Manning to complete the bottom of the fifth. The Panthers actually added to the lead in the top of the sixth after Chandler Stull singled with one out, moved up to second on a walk to Ben Ehret, took third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout by Colton Comstock.

Minutes later, after Cael Baker's foul out ended the sixth, heavy rain moved back over the Ferguson Complex. Unlike the previous 30-plus minute weather delay in the third inning, the storm and possibility of heavier showers moving into the area caused both teams and game officials to call off the remainder of the game reverting back to the score at the end of the fifth to make the result official.

"We just struck out too many times," Scott said. "Tip your cap to their pitcher. He did a good job. We have to put the ball in play a little better, but I'm happy with tonight. We didn't win and we were fighting the weather, but overall I'm pleased. We've spent the last week-and-a-half in the gym and haven't had a chance to swing the bats much. We've also got some younger guys and I saw a little bit of nerves, but our guys settled in and had some better at-bats towards the end."

Especially after the first weather delay, which came during the top of the third immediately after Stansberry snapped the scoreless tie with an RBI single to right-center, allowing both Comstock and Brady Millikin to score with a Warrior error assisting the rally. Brady Latcham added to the lead after the rain delay, singled down the left field line to bring home Stansberry, giving Pekin a 3-0 edge.

"With all the things we had to deal with due to COVID-19, it kind of made for a rough season," Stansberry said. "It feels good to come back this year and do what we normally do."

In his first two innings on the mound prior to the rain delay, Stansberry appeared to be untouchable striking out four of Van Buren County's first six hitters. Stansberry allowed his first base runner after the rain delay, walking Braydon McDonough in the third before two errors, a walk and an infield single in the fourth helped the Warriors get right back in the game.

"He was really effective until the pitching mound started falling apart," Reighard said. "He has such a spring forward that he has to have a good landing zone."

After overpowering Van Buren County with fastballs in the first two innings, the wetter conditions forced Stansberry to adjust. Manning and Casey Youchum were able to put the ball in play, reach base and eventually come home as Stansberry went to his curveball resulting in his second walk and a wild pitch that brought Youchum in and put Bailey Roen at second base with a chance to tie the game.

Instead, Stansberry struck out Taylor Sprouse to keep the Panthers on top. Three more strikeouts in the fifth countered a two-out walk to Lucas Fett as Stansberry battled the conditions to get Pekin a season-opening win.

"It was really wet and I couldn't really get a grip on the baseball," Stansberry said. "It was kind of rough. It was getting really sticky out on the field. The mud was really sticking to my shoes and making it tough to get my footing."

McDonough gave Van Buren County (0-1) a solid start, pitching what would have been six innings had the top of the sixth officially counted. Even without it, McDonough recorded five strikeouts and two walks, giving up all three Pekin runs and four Pekin hits in the third inning.

"Braydon came out there in his first varsity start and gave us a chance to win," Scott said. "The thing I'm most excited about this season is the fact that we've got to work with the kids and get them into a routine we couldn't really establish last year. I think we have the components to be a competitive ball club, but I like what I see."

Pekin (1-0) is scheduled to open Southeast Iowa Superconference north division play at Wapello on Thursday, weather permitting. Van Buren County is scheduled to open SEISC south play at West Burlington, also on Thursday and also weather permitting.

PREP BASEBALL

Pekin 3, Van Buren County 2

Pekin 003 00 — 3 4 2

VBC 000 20 — 2 1 2

Pekin battery — Chase Stansberry (W, 1-0) (5IP, H, 2R, 12K, 3BB), Mason Juhl catching.

Hits — Cael Baker 1-2, Colton Comstock 1-2, Brady Latcham 1-2, Stansberry 1-3.

RBI — Latcham, Stansberry.

Runs — Comstock, Brady Millikin, Stansberry.

Van Buren County battery — Braydon McDonough (L, 0-1) (5IP, 4H, 3R, 2ER, 5K, 2BB), Trayton Bainbridge catching.

Hits — Casey Youchum 1-2.

Runs — Jackson Manning, Youchum.

— Scott Jackson can be reached at sjackson@ottumwacourier.com. Follow him on Twitter@CourierScott.