By Phil Knapper – Metro Independent Contributor
Collinsville’s offense woke up with a five-run fifth inning to take the lead at O’Fallon Tuesday afternoon, but the host Panthers answered with six runs of their own to hand the Kahoks their first loss of the season, 9-5.
Grant Bauer / Photo by Roger Starkey
O’Fallon (1-0 Southwestern Conference, 7-1) built a 3-0 lead after three frames against hard-throwing Collinsville starter Tanner Houck. The Panthers scored once in its first at-bat on a Kyle VanBevern single, stolen base and an RBI-single off the bat of Jeff Hahs. They added two more runs in the third, the second coming on a long home run to center from Bradley Harrison, for the early 3-0 lead.
Tyler Herbert kept Collinsville’s offense silent through four innings, retiring the first 12 batters he faced, but the Kahoks got to him in the fifth.
A one-out infield single from Aaron Ortiz started a five-run uprising that gave the Kahoks the lead. Kyle Reeves reached safely on a grounder to short to put two runners on and Daniel Franke followed with a bunt single to load the bases with just one out.
Nick Chance then reached on a fielder’s choice to get Collinsville (0-1 SWC, 6-1) on the board. Spencer Thomas was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases and Grant Bauer followed with an RBI single to pull the Kahoks within 3-2. Collinsville took the lead when Aaron Peskar singled home a pair. Zack Mathes made it 5-3 Kahoks with the fifth hit of the inning.
O’Fallon, though, came right back with a six-run home-half of the fifth to take the lead for good 9-5.
A one-out walk to Camden Bauer started things for the home team, Collin Helton following with a single to put the go-ahead runners on base. A bunt single loaded the bases and a Harrison groundout made it 5-4 Collinsville.
Hahs was then intentionally walked to bring up Blake Deatherage, who promptly doubled in both runners for a 6-5 O’Fallon advantage. Bradley Snyder then tripled home a pair and Dean Garros reached on an error for the 9-5 score.
Collinsville had a 2-out rally going against Herbert in the sixth when Reeves singled and Franke walked, but Herbert got out of the inning with his seventh strikeout.
The Kahoks again threatened in the seventh when Bauer and Peskar both singled with one out, but Deatherage, who came on in relief, got two flyballs to center to end the game.
The Kahoks had eight hits in the game. Bauer and Peskar led the way with two hits each. Mathes, Ortiz, Reeves, and Franke each hit safely.
O’Fallon also had eight hits. Helton and VanBevern collected two each.
Houck took the loss, with Herbert picking up the win.
The Kahoks will play at 4:30 at Belleville West on Thursday.
