The Blanco Panther Junior Varsity baseball team spent this past weekend dominating three opponents en route to winning the Annual Panther JV Baseball Tournament. The Panthers totaled over 30 hits in three games, while scoring 36 runs to claim the championship trophy.

In the first game of the tournament, Blanco took down the visiting Harper Longhorns 15 to 4. Blanco out-hit the Longhorns 12 to 2, as Matt Pepper led the team going 2 for 2 at the plate while scoring a run and driving in three more. In addition, Pepper picked up the win going three innings on the mound, allowing just two hits and striking out four batters.

The Panthers looked just as strong in their second game as they dominated the San Saba Armadillos, winning 12 to 0 behind an outstanding pitching performance from freshman James Leachman. Leachman pitched a complete game one-hitter, striking out eight while taking a no-hitter into the final inning. Offensively, Colton Childress and Will Byler each went 3 for 3 and accounted for five runs and four RBIs in helping Blanco collect 11 hits.

Finally, Blanco closed out the tournament with another strong pitching performance, this time from freshman Ian Ray. Ray scattered four hits over five innings while striking out ten for his first win of the year as Blanco defeated the visiting Comfort Bobcats 9 to 3. At the plate, Ryan Wagner, Weston Copenhaver, and Will Byler each went 2 for 2, with Wagner driving in four runs on the night.

Following the presentation of the championship trophy after the Comfort game, Weston Copenhaver was recognized as the tournament MVP, while Matt Pepper, Colton Childress, and Will Byler were each named to the all-tournament team.

Blanco will now get back to district play, where the Panthers are currently in first place at 2 and 0. For the season, the Panthers are 8 and 2, with games at Johnson City on Tuesday at 4:30 and at home on Thursday against Fredericksburg Heritage at 4:00 p.m.