Walk It Off!

Making his first start for the Panthers, Cuban import Yoen Socarras looked very comfortable on the bump in front of the home crowd.  Socarras would fire 6 innings of shutout baseball with 3 punchouts that helped the Panthers build a 3-0 lead by the time he left.

Kitchener put up two runs in the bottom of the 1st inning when Jeff Hunt scampered home on a passed ball and Mike Gordner hit a Sac Fly to score Brian Burton.

Neither Socarras or Welland starter Rich Corrente would give up anything more until the Panthers got to Corrente in the 6th when Keegan Marsden lined a two out RBI single to center to score Mike Gordner.

Welland chipped a run back in the top of the 7th off of Kitchener reliever Christian Hauck.  Reese O’Farrell drew a leadoff walk and came around to score on a RBI ground out by Greg Marco.  Welland would tie the game in the 9th on a two run double by Grant Okawa after the Jackfish caught a break when Jeff Hunt couldn’t handle the ground ball to 3rd the batter before.

It would stay tied until the bottom of the frame when Welland elected to intentionally walk Yorbis Borotto and Jeff Hunt to load the bases with one out for Brian Burton.  With Andy Leader on 3rd base, Burton worked a full count walk from Jackfish reliever Braulio Ortiz to give the Panthers the 4-3 walkoff win.

The Panthers are back in action on Thursday night when their Highway 7 rivals Guelph Royals come to town.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:30pm.