Union County Panthers Eliminated from Playoffs in 10-0 Loss to Stephens County

The Union County Panthers varsity baseball team saw their playoff journey end on Saturday with a 10-0 defeat against Stephens County in a road postseason matchup. Despite a clean defensive effort, the Panthers couldn’t contain Stephens County’s offense, which erupted for 10 runs to secure the victory.

Stephens County took control early, plating five runs in the second inning and adding another five in the fifth to end the game early. Union County’s pitching staff struggled to slow the hosts’ attack, with Stephens County racking up 11 hits, including two home runs. Hayden Hughes started for the Panthers, pitching 1.2 innings and allowing five runs on five hits with one strikeout. Colten Gibson provided 2.2 innings of relief, surrendering five runs on five hits, while Tyler Richards closed out the game, facing one batter. The trio combined for two strikeouts but couldn’t stem the tide, as Stephens County’s .458 on-base average and three hit-by-pitches fueled their offensive surge.

Defensively, Union County was flawless, posting a 1.000 fielding percentage with 13 putouts and three assists. Bo Brown and Gunnar Akins each recorded three putouts, while Eli Gwynn and Hughes contributed assists to keep the Panthers error-free. However, the defensive solidity wasn’t enough to counter Stephens County’s relentless bats.

At the plate, Union County struggled to find rhythm, managing just two hits in 14 at-bats for a .143 team batting average. Travis Tracy and Eli Gwynn provided the lone singles, with Tracy going 1-for-2 and Gwynn 1-for-1. The Panthers drew two walks, one each from Bentley Rich and Brown, but struck out once and left two runners on base, unable to generate any scoring threats.

Stephens County’s dominant performance propelled them forward in the playoffs, while Union County’s season came to a close. The Panthers’ error-free defense and contributions from players like Tracy and Gwynn offer bright spots to build on for the 2025 season, as the team looks to return stronger next spring.