When the Hagerstown baseball team traveled to Knightstown on Thursday, May 9, to face the top-ranked 1A team in Indiana, they knew they were facing a big challenge. Entering the game, the Panthers and Tigers were the only teams remaining in the Tri-Eastern Conference without a loss in league play. The game was tied at 0-0 after four innings with Kaagen Kendall and Carter Gossett locked in a pitcher’s duel.
The Tigers kept the pressure on even though they did not score, leaving the bases loaded in the second inning, stranding two runners in the third and having two baserunners wiped out in the fourth inning by a Panther double play. The Tigers finally solved Gossett in the top of the fifth inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring four runs. The Tigers came back with six more runs in the top of the seventh inning. The Tigers again batted around to break the game open and push their lead to 10-0.
Kendall, who only allowed four Panther hits while striking out nine to earn the win, gave way to Kaden Hall to nail down the save in the top of the seventh inning. The Tigers collected 10 base hits, and every Tiger scored at least one run.
Hagerstown (9-5, 6-0 TEC) 0 0 0 0 4 0 6 10
Knightstown (11-3, 4-1 TEC) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Hagerstown hits: Aiden Grover, Jaxon Hale, Hall (2), Anthony Kelley, Graham Vinson (3), Jackson Ward (2), Knightstown hits: Camden Gorman (2), Braylon Johnson, Travis Louks, Kelton Weaver
A version of this article appeared in the May 14 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.