By KELLY FENTON
Leader sports editor
PINE BLUFF — The Cabot Panthers did all their damage in the first inning, and it wasn’t enough.
The Panthers fell 4-2 to Pine Bluff at Taylor Field on Wednesday afternoon and added to their struggles to reach the state tournament next month. The loss dropped Cabot to 2-7, still with a half-game lead over Russellville for the sixth and final postseason berth from the 7A-Central. Russellville was swept by Little Rock Catholic on Wednesday.
That makes the Cabot’s battle with Russellville on Tuesday at Wade Field all the more critical.
“I told the kids, Tuesday is huge,” said Cabot head coach Jay Fitch. “It will be like the World Series for us. There’s a lot on the line.”
Cabot earlier pummeled Russellville, 14-0, but the Cyclones nearly knocked off first-place Catholic on Wednesday.
The Panthers will also host red-hot Conway on Thursday before heading to Catholic for a doubleheader on April 28. They will finish with last-place Central a week from Tuesday.
A walk by Powell Bryant followed by doubles by Drew Burks and Ben Wainright staked Cabot to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against the Zebras. But Wainright’s hit was the last one the Panthers would collect.
Cabot starter Sam Bates was cruising along, and led 2-1 after three innings. But a sore shoulder ended his night. The Zebras (5-5) tied the game in the fifth against reliever Matt Evans. A walk and a hit batter to start the sixth, followed by a single and a sacrifice fly, put Pine Bluff up 4-2.
Fitch said his team’s other goal — aside from making the state tournament — was to maintain Cabot’s streak of not having a losing season. They are currently 10-10.
“In my nine years here, we’ve never had a losing season,” he said.
If Cabot can complete the season sweep of Russellville, it will give them the tiebreak with the Cyclones. Fitch said he is especially concerned about last-place Central, whose only win in conference this season came against his Panthers on the strength of a three-hit gem by Tiger ace Brandon Shomar.
“I tell you, you give that kid any kind of run support, they have the potential to win,” Fitch said.
