Baseball: Plant makes big lead hold up vs. Jefferson

TAMPA — Plant and Jefferson gave the nod to starters at the back end of their rotations for their rescheduled game. And it was the Panthers’ bats that sliced line drive after line drive through the wind Monday to give junior John Suskauer and his two freshman relievers all the support they needed as Plant prevailed 8-4.

“It helps when you get a little jump start there,” Panthers coach Dennis Braun said. “It lets (the pitchers) settle down a little bit, and that’s important.”

Suskauer faced 17 batters over 4 2/3 innings, giving up two hits and one walk while striking out three for his first win of the young season. Pete Alonso started the scoring early for Plant (3-0), sending a sacrifice fly to leftfield that scored Shawn Henderson in the top of the first. After three consecutive singles in the second, shortstop Stephen Chamblee turned on an outside pitch and dropped a bunt down the third-base line for a single and an RBI in the second. Mack Menendez drew a bases-loaded walk in the third.

The Panthers forced a Jefferson pitching change in the fifth, as they collected five hits and three runs to build a 7-0 lead. The Dragons (1-1) added a run in the bottom of the fifth thanks to a pinch-hit triple from Randell Rosquete and three more in the sixth on a double from

Corbin Olmstead and a single from Jimmy Herget, but it wasn’t enough to appease coach Pop Cuesta.

“It was just terrible,” Cuesta said. “We’re just going through the motions. I’ve had it.”

Both teams have a quick turnaround with Tuesday games; Jefferson will throw ace Herget against King and Plant will travel to Durant.

Teams in post

• Jefferson High School
• Plant High School