The baseball team secured their spot in regionals with an unexpected win over Bishop Carroll on May 5. 

The team split with Maize South on May 9, keeping the Panthers as the 16 seed. They needed just one win over Salina Central to move up to the 15 or even 14th seed, depending how other teams played in their final games.

But the Mustangs swept the Panthers on May 13.

“The seeds don’t matter,” junior Hudson Halstead said. “It’s baseball – anyone can beat anyone on the right day.”  

The Panthers will play top-seeded Lawrence Free State (22-2) next week in the first game of regionals.

“Free State has some strikeout arms,” sophomore Jack Trainer said. “It’s going to take a lot of situational hitting, and we are going to have to see lots of pitches so we can try and get to the back of their bullpen. 

The Panthers have surprised fans all season with some impressive wins. 

They took down Blue Valley West, the best team in the state at the time, and then beat Carroll, which is one of Class 5A’s top teams.

“I think we showed our chemistry in those games, and that’s what it’s going to take to beat Free State as well,” Halstead said. 

In baseball it is common for teams to try and save pitching. 

Free State may overlook the Panthers and try to get by without throwing their best pitchers. 

“We’re going to roll in there with house money and play like we have nothing to lose,” Trainer said. “They should win this game but we have the chance to take it from them.”