Forsyth Rallies, Advances to Baseball Quarterfinals

After the past two District Baseball Championships ended in the first round of the Class 3 State Tournament, the Forsyth Panthers take the next step in come-from-behind fashion.

The Panthers notch a 11-4 win over the Lamar Tigers in the Class 3 Sectional played Tuesday afternoon at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin. The start was rough for Forsyth, giving up four runs in the first two innings, including a pair of unearned runs. The only Panther run early scored off the bat of Tristen Hunter, who hit a shot down the first base line into the corner and when the relay throw was slow coming in from the outfield, was sent home by Head Coach Byron Richardson for the round-tripper. 

Hunter, the Panther ace, was called onto the hill with one out in the third inning and after walking the first hitter to load the bases, Hunter got the next Tiger hitter to hit a liner right to third, which Ben Boyer snagged and tagged the runner on third for an inning ending double play. 

The Panthers got things going in the fifth and scored the games final 10 runs. Braxton Gross had two hits including a solo home run with Thomas Strahan adding two hits and Jerrett Walls getting three hits. 

The Panthers will play host to Licking in the Class 3 Quarterfinals, scheduled for 5:00 on Thursday. A win by Forsyth would send them to their first State Semifinal Appearance since 2000. The game can be heard online at MOARK Sports Dot Com.