SPRINGDALE -- Jordan Patton's white pants were caked in red clay by the end of Thursday's 14-3 run-rule win against Shiloh Christian.

The Greenbrier senior pitcher escaped a first-inning jam and sailed through the next four innings as the Panthers kept their record in the 5A-West Conference perfect on a rain-soaked afternoon at the Randall Tyson Recreational Complex.

Patton allowed just five hits -- three in the first inning -- and managed to pitch through some trying conditions as the pitcher's mound was reduced to a red mudslide.

"The conditions were pretty bad for both teams," Greenbrier coach Terry May said. "He got in trouble in the first inning, but he battled through it and competed really hard for us.

"Getting out of that first inning was huge. Just giving up two runs there, the way it was set up, they could have got three, four, five and it might have gone the other way around."

Shiloh Christian (10-7, 6-4) had an opportunity to take a huge lead in the first inning, getting bases loaded with one out but struck out twice after scoring two runs off Patton. The Saints also had a baserunner thrown out at second trying to steal. Austin Connolly crushed an RBI double for the Saints and another run came home on Greenbrier's only error.

"I think that was big," Saints coach Moe Henry said. "We could have got some momentum there. If we get a few more there, who knows how it might have gone."

The Panthers (15-4, 8-0) scored four runs in the second inning and six in the fourth inning to take control of the game. Catcher Kyle Ferguson started the six-run fourth with a two-run double. That was followed by another two-run double by Ethan Edwards, and an RBI double by Josh Walker. The back-to-back-to-back doubles turned a 4-2 lead into a 10-2 rout.

"Kyle hit the ball hard today," May said. "He did a good job behind the plate. It was tough conditions out there today, but he hit the ball extremely hard today."

Shiloh added one run in the fourth inning when Nick Gookin led off with a double and later scored on a groundout by Kord Offenbacker.

Game 2

Greenbrier 6, Shiloh Christian 0

Freshman left-hander Hunter Milligan scattered six hits over 6.1 innings and struck out nine as the Panthers completed the doubleheader sweep.

Arkansas coaches were on hand to watch as Milligan dominated. Although he walked four batters, the southpaw was able to keep the Saints off the scoreboard.

Offenbacker and Ryne McDonald had two of Shiloh Christian's seven hits.

Ethan Edwards was 3-for-4 for the Panthers with a double.

Jake Reindl pitched a complete game for the Saints, allowing seven hits with 10 strikeouts.

Sports on 04/25/2014