Big Panther inning leads to big Beckman comeback

The top of the second inning was as exciting for the Monticello Panthers as it was jaw-dropping for those in attendance at Commercial Club Park in Dyersville. 

Facing Beckman’s top pitcher in the semifinal round of the Class 2A, District 5 Baseball Tournament, the Panthers put up seven runs on six hits to take a 7-0 lead over the host Trailblazers. 

Unfortunately for the Panthers, the elation of that inning didn’t last long. Beckman scored in the next five innings, including an eight-spot in the bottom of the fifth, and advanced to the district final with a 16-8 win over Monticello July 16.

While the Panthers won’t look on the outcome favorably in years to come, they will probably never forget the fun they had in that one inning. 

With the teams scoreless after one inning, Justin Recker led off the top of the second with an infield single. Caleb Sauser laid down a sacrifice bunt, getting Recker to second. Gavin Cooper then hit a chopper toward the mound and beat the throw to first, and Recker scored on a throwing error. Tyler Blattner followed with an single to left-centerfield, scoring Cooper. 

After a strikeout for the second out, the Panthers got a break on a grounder to second that was misplayed for a Beckman error, loading the bases. 

Monticello took advantage with consecutive, sharp singles by Avery Martensen, Tate Petersen and Jon Mootz, giving the Panthers a 4-0 lead. 

That ended the night for Beckman starting pitcher Carter Petsche. 

“The kid we faced was their number one; he has a lot of big wins,” Harms said. “We got it rolling and kept it rolling.” 

The Panthers added three more runs, on a wild pitch that brought Sauser home, followed by bases loaded walks to Recker and Sauser, bringing home Petersen and Mootz, respectively. They came out of the inning with a 7-0 inning. 

Beckman quickly responded with four runs in the bottom of the second, and what looked like a cushiony lead for the Panthers suddently seemed tenuous. 

“That kind of deflated us,” Harms said. “We looked like we were down 7-4 instead of ahead 7-4.

“I think a lot of it was that Beckman had won eight straight district finals. They just looked like they had been in that situation before. It looked like every inning they were getting stronger and stronger.” 

Beckman added single runs in the third and fourth innings. Meanwhile, the Blazers’ third pitcher, Shawn Deutmeyer, retired 10 straight batters to bring Beckman to the plate in the bottom of the fifth trailing by just one, 7-6. 

The Blazers then scored eight in the bottom of the fifth to take a 14-7 lead. Monticello added a run in the top of the sixth, but Beckman came back with two more in the bottom half. 

Mootz hit a one-out double in the top of the seventh, but he wound up stranded at second. 

“It’s not the outcome we wanted, but we competed all game, and were right there until they had that big inning,” the coach said. 

Monticello’s season ended with an 11-16 overall record, including 7-11 in the River Valley Conference. 

There were bright spots to the season, including the development of a young pitching staff. 

“Varsity experience was something we weren’t going to have a lot of,” Harms said. “I felt like this year we got that experience.” 

It was the final game for the team’s seniors, Gavin Cooper, Hunter Kramer, Martensen, Mootz and Blattner. 

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group to come into for my first year,” Harms said, “with their dedication, loyalty, commitment and overall leadership. Whenever we put something new in, they didn’t hesitate once or balk at it.” 

As for next year, the coach said, “We’ve got a good core, and we’ll keep adding on to it.”