Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4 HANOVER, Ind. – The Panthers opened the 2021 season over the weekend sweeping Defiance on Saturday afternoon 16-5 and 14-7. The Sunday series with Manchester saw Hanover drop game one 16-4, before taking game two 12-6.
 
DEFIANCE SERIES
In the season opener with Defiance, freshman Alex Christie (Greenwood, Ind.) made an impressive debut going 6-for-10 at the dish with 12 RBI's and two home runs. Freshman Jacob Dupps (Louisville, Ky.) also had an impressive afternoon as he tallied four hits on six plate appearances with five RBI's.
 
GAME ONE
In game one, the Yellow Jackets struck first in the top of the third inning taking the 2-0 advantage. However, the bottom half of the inning saw the Panther offense come alive. Christie plated Hanover's first runs of the afternoon as he doubled to left field scoring both Dupps and junior Charlie Burton (Columbus, Ind.), 2-2. The excitement continued as sophomore Cole Sherman (Indianapolis, Ind.) singled to center field recording his first RBI of the afternoon. Sherman scored moments later off the bat of freshman Connor Farnsley (Jeffersonville, Ind.) who singled to right field, 4-2. The Panthers would go on to plate four more runs in the inning as both senior Zeke Porta (Louisville, Ky.) and Sherman charted RBI's, 8-2.
 
Defiance responded in the top of the fifth inning as a sacrifice fly sent a Yellow Jacket base runner to the plate. But again, the Panther offense replied in the bottom half of the inning as home runs by junior Andrew Littlefield (Louisville, Ky.) and Christie saw the Blue and Red extend the lead to 11-3.
 
The Panthers closed out the contest with a five run sixth inning that secured the 16-5 victory. Senior Eli Copner (Zionsville, Ind.) picked up the win on the mound pitching a complete game with 12 strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
The night cap saw the hot streak at the dish continue as Dupps singled to center field in the bottom of the first inning tying the game, 1-1. He would deem clutch in the bottom of the third inning as he hit a home run that pushed the Panthers out in front 3-1.
 
Defiance got a run back in the top of the fifth before Dupps again erupted with a sacrifice fly to center field plating yet another Panther runner, 4-2. Christie was not to be out done as he connected for a home run that scored both Burton and Littlefield, 7-2.
 
The offensive explosion continued for Hanover as a Porta RBI in the bottom of the sixth followed by a Dupps home run in the seventh blew the game wide open 10-3. But Defiance refused to give up as they were able to pull back within 10-7 before a four-run outburst in the bottom of the eighth inning secured the sweep.
 
MANCHESTER SERIES

GAME ONE
Manchester struck first when the Panthers responded in the bottom half of the first inning following a Dupps double to left field, 1-1.
 
However, the Manchester bats exploded in the sixth inning as they were able to blow the game wide open following a seven-run outburst, 11-1. Hanover looked to get something going in the bottom half of the inning as Christie took a pitch at the plate that sent a Panther base runner home. Sophomore Le'Ron Fleming (Indianapolis, Ind.) followed it up with a fielder's choice that scored Burton, 11-3. The Panthers final run of the contest came off the bat of Farnsley who singled to center scoring Dupps, 11-4.
 
The Spartans went on to score five runs in the top of the eighth inning to claim the series opening victory, 16-4.

GAME TWO
Hanover dominated game two early as Farnley charted an RBI in the bottom of the first inning to propel HC in front 1-0. They tacked on another run in the second inning following a Manchester miscue. But the Spartans used the next half inning to tie the contest with an RBI of their own, 2-2.

The Panthers had other things in mind as they plated another run in the bottom of the third inning before Porta went yard to left field extending the Hanover lead to 4-2. Sherman provided clutch at the dish as he singled to left field scoring both senior Matt Vetor (Pendleton, Ind.) and Christie in the bottom of the fifth inning, 6-2. 

Leading 6-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning, junior Andrew Littlefield (Louisville, Ky.) sent a shot over the left field fence to extend the HC lead to 12-3. Manchester added three more runs before the Panthers were able to retire the side and claim the split.

Hanover returns to action on Saturday ,March 13 when they travel to Anderson. First pitch is scheduled for 12:00 PM.