BETHALTO – The Jersey Panthers and the Civic Memorial Eagles baseball squad have had an ongoing rivalry in their conference for a while now and this year it kicked off with a bang.
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“It’s our natural rivalry, it has been since I was a student here at CM. Both teams are up for it each time,” Eagles’ head coach Nick Smith said.
CM was definitely up for it as they nabbed their seventh straight victory and opened up Mississippi Valley Conference play with a 7-2 score over the Panthers Monday night (April 11).
The Eagles found themselves with a 3-0 lead after two innings without even recording a hit.
“We like to say good teams take advantage of mistakes,” Smith said.
“I do think our athleticism showed early and put a little pressure on them when we were on the bases. That’s the way we have to play and if we can score without a hit, that’s a plus.”
Another run came in the fourth inning, two in the fifth and the final run in the sixth to make it the eventual final score of 7-2.
Senior pitcher Peyton Keller started on the mound for the Eagles. He tossed five innings picking up seven K’s along the way and only allowing two hits. He also had a hit and an RBI to help out offensively.
Things could have gotten out of hand for him in the fifth inning. He found himself with the bases loaded but got out of the jam with minimal damage only allowing the two runs on the board for the Panthers.
“He’s kind of become our one, by his work. The trust factor with him is really high,” Smith said about his ace.
Offensively, the Eagles have been soaring. During their seven-game streak, they’ve outscored their opposition 58-22, averaging 8.2 runs per game during that span.
Against Jerseyville, sophomore catcher Noah Petersen had two hits good for two RBI’s. Junior Bryer Arview and senior Nick Brousseau also recorded two hits each.
Senior Tommy Strubhart took over on the mound for the Eagles and got the final six outs rather easily to help secure the win.
After five straight loses to open the season, the Eagles now find themselves 7-5 on the season thanks to their recent winning streak.
“We just take it a day at a time,” coach Smith said, adding that his team has really “turned the corner.”
The Eagles will look to continue their winning ways when they do battle with the Panthers again this Wednesday, this time in Jerseyville. The game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. 
