The Creston Panthers scored 2 runs in the top of the 1st and 7th innings to defeat the Atlantic Trojans 4-2 on Friday night in Glenwood in Class 3A District 16 Semifinal play.

The Panthers opened the game with 2 runs on 4 hits in the first inning with Brandon McDowell and Cody Crawford crossing the plate. The Trojans answered back with an RBI Single by Noah Bruckner in the bottom of the first and an RBI double by Phoenix Shadden in the second to tie the game up at 2.

Both teams would stall out from the third to the sixth with Atlantic missing more opportunities during that stretch, leaving 5 runners on base those innings. The biggest missed opportunity was the sixth when the Trojans got two on with no outs and came up empty in the inning.

Creston then scored 2 in the top of the 7th with 2 hits and aided by two errors and a walk from the Trojans. The big play for the Panthers came when Cody Crawford hit a grounder to the left field gap and Trojan shortstop Chase McLaren came across to snag the ball and had to make a tough throw attempt to third for a force out try. The throw got away to the fence allowing two runners to come home for the Panthers.  Those proved to be the deciding runs as the Trojans couldn’t get anything going in the bottom of the 7th.

Kadon Hulett pitched 6 strong innings for the Creston win with 7 strikeouts and allowing 2 runs on 6 hits with 1 walk. Dustin Merritt came in to close in the 7th for the Panthers and got his 3rd save of the season. Chase Mullenix took the loss for Atlantic allowing 4 runs on 6 hits with 4 strikeouts and 2 walks.

Atlantic ends the season at 12-20. Creston improved to 14-19 and will now face Denison-Schleswig in the district final on Monday in Glenwood.  The Monarchs beat Glenwood 2-1 in the second game of the night Friday.