Longballs lift Panthers over Indians
Union cruises past Towns, edges East Hall to start 2-0
By JARED PUTNAM Union Sentinel Editor

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Panthers Head Coach Robby Roxbury jokes around with starting pitcher Aaron Deyton while the Indians confer on the mound. When the action resumed Deyton helped himself with a two-run double to center field.

The Panthers slugged their way to victory as the 2007 season began, notching a 12-5 win over the Towns County Indians.

"We had a little fire about us because they beat us in the last game of the season last year in extra innings," Head Coach Robby Roxbury said. "Some of it was probably a little [desire for] revenge."

The team's bats were alive from the opening inning to the final inning, as Cody Shook got the scoring started with a three run homerun in the first inning. Pitcher Aaron Deyton helped himself with a two-run double in the bottom of the second, giving Union a 5-0 advantage.

Although the Indians responded with a two-run homerun in the top of the third, Chaiz George answered right back for the Panthers, blasting a three-run shot over the wall in the bottom half of the inning to push the lead to 8-2. Union would add four more and hold on for the comfortable 12-5 win.

Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Freshman shortstop Chaiz George fields the ball and guns down the runner at first.

The Panthers also pulled something of an upset against a tough AAA East Hall team, defeating the Vikings in a close one 6-5.

Union jumped on top 2-0 early when Cody Graham scored on a double by Chaiz George and George then scored on a double by Eric Seabolt. The Panthers were coasting until the top of the third inning, when East Hall scored four runs with two outs.

Union tied the game in the bottom half of the inning with the help of some defensive miscues by the Vikings. Union later reclaimed the lead in the sixth inning, and held the Vikings off in the top of the seventh to secure a 6-5 win.

Asked what the biggest difference he sees between this season and last season, Coach Roxbury pointed to confidence. "We knew we were going to struggle going into last year. It was shaky, but they battled and believed in what we were doing. This year the guys have a boatload of added confidence," the coach said, with one factor being a schedule that no longer forces the team to face the likes of Buford, GAC, and Providence.

Sentinel photos/Jared Putnam The Indians third baseman applies the tag too late on the steal by the Panthers.

But Coach Roxbury said that more so than the schedule itself, the boost in confidence comes down to maturity and the experience gained from having had the opportunity to face high caliber teams during the summer.

While those games were good for experience, the coach said that the team also benefits from the type of game it had against Towns. "We needed that extra bit of confidence, to say, this is how it is supposed to be done," Coach Roxbury said.

But while the Panthers have had the benefit of hot bats to help win their first two games, the coach said he knows that there will be times where the bats are cold. The team will need a quality season out of its' pitchers in order to match up with some of the pitching the team will go up against.

Number one starter Aaron Deyton pitched effectively last season and his style lends itself to keeping the team in games.

"Aaron is such a finesse pitcher," Coach Roxbury said. "He doesn't have the greatest fastball, but he uses all three of his pitches and keeps the ball down.."

Above: Cody Graham rounds third and barrels home.

Still, the coach said that the staff needs help from the defense in order to keep from allowing opposing offenses to prolong innings.

"We made so many errors last year," the coach said. "We were a little rough there. Things like that are where our infield and outfield have to form around our pitching, and not just make the big plays, but make the routine plays to keep our guys from throwing 60 more pitches than what they need to."

Left: Graham slides safely into second base. Sentinel photo/Jared Putnam Cody Shook gets congratulated by his teammates after hitting a 3-run homerun in the bottom of the first inning against Towns County.