Miscues hurt Berwick in loss

The Berwick Panthers could not overcome their own miscues in a 9-5 loss to E.D. White Wednesday in the District 9-3A title game.
A day after limiting the Cardinals to a run on a passed ball, the Panthers allowed a combined seven runs in the first two innings and committed five errors in the first two frames.
E.D. White plated four runs on one hit and used four Berwick errors to get on the board early.
In the second, the Cardinals extended their lead to 7-0 after a two-run home run by E.D. White’s Scottie Sanders and a fielder’s choice by Cameron Sanders.
The score remained the same until the top of the fifth inning when Neal Theriot, who earlier had reached on a single to right field, scored on an error.
The Panthers scored another run later in the inning when Nick Duthu scored after the ball bounced past E.D. White’s catcher.
E.D. White (22-5 overall, 7-1 in district) responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning when Alex Hawkins, who couldn’t get down a bunt on a squeeze play, made up for it with a two-run double to deep leftfield for a 9-2 E.D. White advantage.
Berwick added three more runs in the top of the seventh inning, one on Theriot’s ground out into a double play, and one each on Duthu’s single to left field and Justin Morvant’s infield single.
Justin Theriot earned the win for E.D. White. In seven innings, he surrendered five runs on 11 hits with three walks and five strikeouts.
Duthu led the Panthers with a 4-for-4 performance with an RBI, while Bobby Boudreaux finished 2-for-3 and Morvant, 2-for-4, to lead Berwick.
Brannon Melancon, the first of four Berwick pitchers used in the contest, suffered the loss. In 1.2 innings, he surrendered seven runs — two earned — on two hits with four walks, one hit batter and one strikeout.
Tim Shelby, Andrew Askew and Wiley also saw time on the mound for the Panthers.
Besides its miscues on defense, Berwick (16-10, 6-2) pitching combined for six walks and hit four batters.
Berwick’s contest with Brother Martin, scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled, so the Panthers will close out its regular season Monday at home when it hosts Hanson for Senior Night at 5 p.m.