Wednesday, April 28, 1999

O'Fallon Stays Hot
Panthers 12-2 After 7-2 Win Over Mascoutah

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By Curtis Duncan
   At the halfway point of the season, there is little doubt that the O'Fallon Panthers are among the better large school teams in area prep baseball.  O'Fallon, ranked 14^th in the Post-Dispatch baseball poll, has done little else but add to that reputation so far, as the Panthers showed their mettle again on Wednesday afternoon.  Bolstered by quality field defense and timely hitting from Mike Bowen and Ryan Grindstaff, the Panthers rolled to a 7-2 win over Mascoutah in a nonconference game at O'Fallon's Blazier Field.
   O'Fallon improved to 12-2 with the victory.  Mascoutah fell to 6-8 overall.     
   "I was very pleased with our defense," said O'Fallon coach Art Voellinger.  "You've got to play defense like that, and you've got to get the timely hitting; Bowen got a big hit to left center field."
   O'Fallon got out of the box on the right path with a run in the bottom of the first inning, as shortstop Brooks Colvin jacked a solo homer to leftcenter field making it 1-0.
   Mascoutah responded with a run in the top of the third.  Kevin Wilhelm reached base as he was hit by a pitch and was sacrificed to second by Jordan Richter.
   After a single by Billy Faust, Wilhelm scored on a sacrifice fly from Doug Walter, tying the score, 1-1.
   However,  the Panthers came roaring back with four runs in the bottom of the third to regain control.  Greg Maher and Derek Stratman singled and walked to start the frame. Then, with two out, Bowen, batting left-handed, ripped a two-run double for a 3-1 lead.  Ryan Grindstaff followed with an RBI double, scoring Bowen.  Grindstaff scored on a run-scoring single pushing the lead to 5-1.
   "The second at bat, [Bowen] got the double to left center field, and that kind of ignited us a little bit," said Voellinger.  "That's the kind of hitting you need."
   O'Fallon padded its lead with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.  Barrett Sill singled, and Bowen walked to start the inning.  Grindstaff then blooped a single to center, scoring Sill. After a double steal put runners at second and third, Bowen scored from third on a wild pitch, making it 7-1.
   Defense and hitting were key for the

O'Fallon righthander George Jentsch tossed a complete game in picking up his third win of the season.
Photo ID: 99BBOFMA061
                                          Paul Kopsky Photo

Panthers, but the pitching also was evident for O'Fallon in this meeting, as O'Fallon pitcher George Jentsch showed his mettle.  Jentsch, a senior righthander, pitched around trouble in the third inning and a sixth inning homer by Mascoutah's Mike Larson in gaining his third victory.  Jentsch moved to 3-1 on the season.
   "I tried to throw strikes and get outs," said Jentsch.  "In the sixth inning, I just lost my rhythm; that happened to me in Marion, and we lost the game.  But I battled out of it, and we got that big play from Brooks back there, so it worked out pretty good."
   Colvin, in addition to hitting the home run early in the game, came up with the defensive play of the game in the top of the seventh.  With two outs, Colvin ranged deep into the hole at short on a hard-hit grounder and flipped to second baseman Andy Morrill for a game-ending force play at second.
   "I knew my second baseman was going to be there; [he has] been there all year, and I knew if I just got there, I could make the throw, and we made it happen," said Colvin.
   Tomorrow, O'Fallon plays host to Mount Vernon in a crucial South Seven Conference game. Mascoutah will host Wesclin on Saturday in a nonconference doubleheader.