JORDAN-The Panthers feasted on the Huskies Thursday.
The thrill of Pillager's first-ever appearance in a state baseball tournament was dampened when the top-seeded and top-ranked Parkers Prairie Panthers shut out the unseeded Huskies 8-0 in the Class 1A state quarterfinals at the Mini Met.
Parkers Prairie senior ace Levi Arnold struck out 13 and walked three in a two-hit shutout while improving his record to 11-0. He entered the tournament with a .728 ERA.
After issuing a game-opening walk to Braeden Wangsness, Arnold retired the next 12 Huskies he faced, nine by strikeout.
"We got down early and that's hard to overcome," said Pillager head coach Jacob Mehr. "But our guys are staying positive and we're all right."
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The Panthers tallied four runs with two out in the bottom of the first giving Arnold more support than he would need. They added two more runs in the second and a two-out double by Hunter McDaniel in the fourth plated the final two runs.
Wangsness broke up Arnold's no-hitter when he singled in the top of the sixth. Joe Anderson's single in the seventh accounted for Pillager's other hit.
Josh Doss threw all six innings for the Huskies allowing 10 hits while striking out six and walking five.
Zach Grapp and McDaniel had two RBIs each for the Panthers. Andrew Johnson, Travis Yohnke and Matt Farley finished with two hits apiece including doubles by Johnson and Yohnke.
Pillager (15-11) came into the tournament with a seven-game winning streak and had outscored five section foes by a combined 77-28. During its seven-game win streak, Pillager scored three or more runs in the first inning of six of those games.
The Huskies lost 8-3 and 5-0 to Parkers Prairie during the regular season in Park Region Conference games. The PRC title was the Panthers' second straight.
Despite the loss, Mehr said the Huskies were enjoying the program's first trip to state.
"Our guys are excited to be down here and we're having fun," Mehr said. "We're excited that we can play again (Friday). We're staying positive. Our attitudes are good and we'll shake this off."
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Pillager plays fifth-seeded Fosston at 10 a.m. Friday in the consolation semifinals at Chaska Athletic Park. The consolation championship game is at 3 p.m.
Pillager 000 000 0 - 0 2 3
Parkers Prairie 420 200 x - 8 10 0
WP: Levi Arnold. LP: Josh Doss. 2B: PP-Andrew Johnson, Travis Yohnke, Hunter McDaniel. Overall: Pill 15-11. Next: Class 1A state tournament at the Mini Met, Jordan: Pillager vs. No. 5 Fosston in consolation semifinals at Chaska Athletic Park 10 a.m. Friday; consolation championship 3 p.m. Friday.
