The Panthers baseball team is on a bit of a roller coaster going 3-2 in their last five, with every win followed by a loss. After losing on Friday to 1A State Champs Piute, 11-0, the next game with Merit Preparatory Academy had to be a win, and it was in a tight one, but Pinnacle claimed the 6-4 victory on Monday.

Pinnacle is sitting at 4-5 on the season and currently holds the No. 8 spot in the Utah High School Activities Association’s RPI, that is now available on their website.

The game with Piute was tough on the Panthers as they didn’t register a hit and were only able earn one walk.

Piute hopped on the board with one run in the first, nine in the third and one more in the fourth making the score 11-0, ending the contest in five innings.

On the mound for the Panthers, Joey Howell got the start, taking the loss going three innings giving up 10 runs (six earned) on eight hits and struck out two. Brody Howell came in going one inning giving up one earned.

Moving on to Monday’s game with Merit Prep in Spanish Fork, the Panthers were the aggressors putting up the first runs in the top of the opening inning. Ryker Howell sent a single to first giving Todd McFarland the chance to score from third. Carlos Alcon was up next and after swinging at strike one, Brody Howell would steal home making the score 2-0.

The second inning saw Pinnacle put more runs on the board, and Riley Davis got things started with a single to left driving in Jayson Miler. Joey Howell  would reach on an error that would also allow Davis and Brody Howell to score. The scoring for the Panthers would come to an end in the fourth, when McFarland, faced with a full count, would send one over the wall in left field, making the score 6-1.

Merit Prep would make things interesting adding three runs in the later innings, but Pinnacle held on for the 6-4 win.

Davis would go 3-3 from the plate with an RBI and a run scored. McFarland was 2-4 with a pair of hits and one RBI, and Brody Howell was 2-4 with a two runs scored.

Brody Howell got the start on the mound going 3 2/3 innings with one earned on one hit and six strike outs. Joey Howell would come in and go 1 1/3 innings giving up one hit and struck out two, and McFarland  came in to close the door on Merit Prep, going two innings giving up two earned and struck out three.

The Panthers will be back home on Wednesday when they welcome Bryce Valley (9-5) to Price. Game time is set for 3 p.m. at Carlson-Colosimo Field.