Perry tops Bears in Jones Shootout action

J.W. Gentry’s bases-clearing triple in the fourth inning gave the Perry High baseball Panthers the lead for good in an entertaining contest with Houston County High at the Panther Pit. Perry, with Drew Martens pitching a complete game, went on to win 5-2 Saturday, the final day of the Jones County Summer Shootout.

Martens and Tyler Flewellyn of Houston County matched shutout pitching through three innings. The Bears grabbed a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth before Gentry came through with all bags occupied in the home half.

The Panthers won despite having two baserunners thrown out at home plate as part of double plays from the Bears defense. Only two times in the game did any fielder commit an error, and highlight plays were in abundance with a diving catch from the Houston outfield and stellar work at shortstop by Perry’s Cal Gentry.

Martens scattered three infield hits through his first three innings of work. He struck out four and walked one during that span, and his catcher, J.W. Gentry, threw out a would-be base-stealer at second.

Flewellyn began his outing issuing a walk, and his pick-off throw was his team’s only error. But as Martens flew out to D.J. Green in left field, it was Green making the relay throw home in time. Catcher Josh Goodman made the tag to complete the double play.

Houston ended the deadlock on three fourth-inning hits. Jordan Hampton and Goodman singled, and driving home both runs was Landon Duernberger.

Perry didn’t need a hit to fill the bases for J.W. Gentry in the home fourth. He saw two teammates get hit by pitches and a third draw a walk. His go-ahead drive went to left field.

With one out, Flewellyn snagged Alex Heath’s grounder and looked back the courtesy runner at third base. After catching the second out, the first baseman Hampton fired home for Goodman to complete a second double play.

Austin Langford, Houston County’s right fielder, had two hits at the plate. His greatest contribution, though, was running at an angle towards the foul line and catching a ball on the dive to end the home fifth.

Drew Barker, robbed of another chance to swing on the play, started the top of the sixth with a running catch going from right to center. He added a stumble at the end.

The Panthers went from leading 3-2 to 5-2 in the home sixth as Cal Gentry drew a walk and Martens doubled on a flare. Martens scored on a wild pitch.

On the mound, Martens only gave up two hits in his last three innings, and Cal Gentry took care of the Bears in the seventh inning with two assists – giving him six for the game – including a 6-3 concluding double play for four putouts.

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