The Panthers opened the first game with a run in the bottom of the first. MJ Rookard singled, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on a ground ball error by the Lithia second baseman. The Lions tied the game in the top of the second when Morris Ellison hit a solo home run over the left field scoreboard that has yet to land.
In to top of the third inning, Lithia took the lead when Isiah Franks singled, advanced to third, and then scored off a failed pickoff and run down attempt between first and second.
Chapel Hill built a lead in the bottom of the third. Eric Lloyd reached base and then scored on an error by the second baseman to tie the game at 2-2. The Panthers then loaded the bases with no outs. Justin Epps scored on a walk, Jason Phillips scored on a sac fly off the bat of Jacob McClure, and Jason Rodriquez crossed the plate on a wild pitch, giving Chapel Hill at 5-2 advantage.
The inning chased Lithia starter Dave Patel from the game. Patel allowed five runs, three earned, over 2-2/3 innings. Patel would go on to pick up the loss.
Lithia was held scoreless by Rookard, the Chapel Hill starter in the top of the fourth. The inning would end his night on the mound. He allowed two runs over four innings, striking out three and walking three. He would pick up the win.
The Panthers added their third run off a Lions infield error, and sixth of the game in the bottom of the sixth when Ryan Moffett scored from third.
Chapel Hill’s Lloyd, who took the mound in the top of the fifth inning, finished off Lithia in the seventh for the four run victory in game one. Lloyd allowed no runs in three innings of work. He struck out six and walked one.
Lithia struck first in the second game, pushing a run across the plate in the top of the first. Patel reached on an error to lead off the game and moved to second on a groundout. Alex Hopkins hit a grounder to McClure on the mound, who attempted to get Patel at third but a wild throw allowed Patel to score.
Lions starting pitcher Gerrett Voyles struggled with his control in the bottom of the first, giving the lead to the Panthers. Rookard and Moffett walked then advanced a base on a wild pitch. Lloyd singled into left-center, scoring both runners. The first inning ended with Chapel Hill up 2-1.
Pitchers dominated through the next two innings before Lithia put a rally together in the top of the fourth. After loading the bases, a wild pitch led to the first run of the inning, tying the game at 2-2. After a walk to Frank, Hopkins lined a pitch into center, scoring the go ahead run. Lithia added a run in the fifth to go up 4-2.
The Chapel Hill bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning, putting up four runs in the fifth and five in the sixth.
Phillips picked up the win for the Panthers, after coming in for McClure. He threw 2-1/3 innings and recorded two strikeouts. Voyles took the loss for Lithia after 5-2/3 innings of work. He had four strikeouts.
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