BASEBALL: Jr. Panthers rout Okawville for third win

The Junior Panthers are off to a 3-0 start to their baseball season after Tuesday's 13-3 rout of Okawville on the road. Hunter Riggins had three of the team's 13 hits, and Devin Kitchen fanned ten batters on the hill to pick up the victory for Pinckneyville.

PJHS jumped on the board quickly with four runs in the top of the first inning. Riggins and Noah Carter singled to start the rally in front of a double by Dalton Kitchen that made it 2-0. Dawson Yates tripled with one out to bring in Da. Kitchen, then Ty Fleming brought in the fourth run with a sac fly to center field.

A leadoff walk came back to bite De. Kitchen in the bottom of the first as Okawville chipped away a run, then two additional free passes in the second inning - along with two passed balls and a wild pitch - made it 4-2.

But in the top of the third, Pinckneyville's bats came to life once again. Two errors and a walk started the inning, and with two outs, Trenton Morgenstern singled in a pair. A walk followed by an RBI single from Wyatt Gale set up Riggins for a three-run triple as the Junior Panthers built a 10-2 lead.

De. Kitchen finished the five-inning short game with just three hits allowed. He walked eight and gave up two earned runs for PJHS.

Riggins (3-4, R, 3 RBI, 2B, 3B), Carter (1-3, R, RBI), Da. Kitchen (2-3, 3 R, RBI, 2B), Yates (1-3, R, RBI, 3B), Fleming (1-2, 2 R, 2 RBI, SAC), Morgenstern (1-3, R, 2 RBI), Gale (1-3, R, RBI), Ben Restoff (1-1), Grant Biby (1-1) and Daniel Garavaglia (1-1, RBI) all had hits for Pinckneyville at Okawville.

The Junior Panthers (3-0) host Herrin on Wednesday in their home opener.