The defending 2A State Champions Ariton Purple Cats traveled to Wicksburg Monday afternoon to face the Panthers. The Panthers have started the 2024 season 4-2 with losses to G.W. Long Rebels and 5A Rehobeth Rebels. Ariton enters the game 2-1 on the year with the lone loss to 5A powerhouse Headland Rams. The two teams have not played each other since the 2022 season.
Ariton would score the first run of the game in the top half of the first inning. Aven Cook would reach first on a walk. Lawson Leger hit a single to right field and Cook moved to third. Myles Tyler hit a routine ground ball to second scoring Aven Cook. The top half of the inning would end with another ground ball to second.
The Panthers would answer with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Gabe Glover led off with an infield single. Glover would then steal second and third on the next three pitches. Seth Williams would reach first on a walk. Drew Colon helped himself with a ground ball to second scoring Glover. Ariton made a pitching change after one out in the bottom of the first. Coach Pickett would pull Dalton Murphy and replace him with junior Austin Evans. The Panthers would score one more run on a single by Grant Calhoun.
Ariton scored another run in the top of the second. Jessie Pelham walked and then stole second. Ian Senn would lace a single into left field and Pelham would cross home plate tying the game at two. The game then turned into a pitching duel between Drew Colon and Ariton’s Austin Evans.
Colon would strike out six batters in five innings of work. Colon really controlled the zone well and kept Ariton hitters off balance all game. Colon's fastball ranged from 80-84 m.p.h. through five innings pitched. Austin Evans pitched five innings as well and he did not give up a run. Evans peppered the zone and Ariton’s defense made plays behind him.
Seth Williams started the sixth inning with the game tied at two. Dalton Murphy led off the top half of the sixth inning with a single to left field and that would be the only hit Williams would allow in two innings of work. Easton Kilpatrick entered the game for Ariton replacing Austin Evans on the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning with one out. Easton Dean would draw a walk and Tyler Campbell would single to right field moving Dean to third. Carty was then HBP which loaded the bases for the Panthers. The Panthers then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Christian Morris. The sixth inning would end with the Panthers leading 3-2. Ariton was unable to score in the top half of the seventh. Seth Williams would pick up the win for Wicksburg working two scoreless innings. Colon and Williams only allowed three hits in the game. Wicksburg will improve to 5-2 and Ariton will fall to 2-2 on the season.