Colonels fail to overcome early deficit in 7-6 loss to Pepperell

Cass baseball fell behind visiting Pepperell in the early innings Wednesday and despite out hitting the Dragons, could not complete a comeback in a 7-6 Colonels’ loss.

Pepperell scored six runs in their first three frames for an early 6-0 advantage. Cass answered with six runs of their own in the third through fifth innings to knot the score at 6-6.

The Dragons scored the game-deciding run in the top of the sixth and held on for a one-run, non-region win.

Cass out hit Pepperell 12 to 5 but left several scoring opportunities on the diamond. Chase Gresham and Landon Loyd (two doubles) combined for four of the five Dragons’ hits and each drove in a run.

Gresham (3 IP, 2R, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 4K) also picked up the pitching win in relief of starter Griffin Kanelos. Loyd earned a save with two strikeouts in the seventh inning.

Hayden Cole (3 IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB, 2K) suffered the pitching loss for the Colonels in relief of starter Jordan Gani (4 IP, 6R, 1ER, 4H, 5BB, 9K).

Gani paced the Cass offense with three hits including a double and one RBI. Matt Shook finished with a pair of doubles and two RBIs. Jayden Smith contributed two hits including a double. Nic Wallin also had two hits.

Bentley Markley (RBI), Aidan Larkin, and Carson Hill added one hit apiece for the Colonels.

The win was Pepperell’s first after dropping their first three games.

Cass (1-3) plays at Model Thursday at 5 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.