The Crestwood Panthers five-game losing streak ended on Sunday at Ed Glancy Field with a win over the Chicago American Giants.  

The Panthers came back from down as much as 4-0 to win the ballgame 10-8. Ray Hilbrich with two RBIs and Hobbs Dunne with a homer and three RBI led the comeback in the eight and ninth inning.  

With two outs in the seventh inning, the Panthers managed to load the bases. Newcomer “Q” Noble scored on a wild pitch before Charlie Schau grounded into an error by Giants’ shortstop Ryan Nelson scoring Alex Las to make it 4-2.  

The Hilbrich and Dunne show began in the eighth inning as Hilbrich came up with two on and nobody out in a 4-2 game. After Peter Fusek scored on a wilk pitch, Hilbrich slapped the next pitch into right field to score Connor Janik and tie the game. Dunne came up next and slammed his first home run on the season onto South Michigan Avenue to give Crestwood a 6-4 lead.  

Despite the insurance run added by another Giants’ error making it 7-4, the Giants refused to go quietly. A three-run eighth inning tied the game at 7-7 heading into the ninth inning.  

With two outs in the ninth and Fusek at third, Hilbrich slapped a 3-0 pitch off the wall in right field to score Fusek and make it an 8-7 ballgame. Hobbs Dunne followed that up by crushing another ball of the fence in right field to score Hilbrich. Dunne scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-7.  

The Giants did get one run back in the ninth on a sacrifice fly to make it 10-8 with Nelson on first for George Nanabedian. Nelson tried to steal second base, but Connor Janik threw him out to end the ballgame.  

With the clutch heroics of Dunne, Hilbrich, and Janik, and the four hit day of Peter Fusek, the Panthers got ideal production out of the heart of their order. Head coach D’Vante Glenn loved to see that part of the order producing the way it did.  

“I knew in that position they would get the job done.” Glenn said, “They always have the confidence when they come up to bat that they can hit any guy.”  

Charlie Schau got his first career win on the mound for the Panthers pitching three innings in relief. Matt Maloney got the start today and pitched six solid innings giving up two earned runs (four runs total) on six hits.  

“[Maloney] comes out and does well for us every single time.” Glenn said, “With him doing as well as he did, we were able to come back and win the game.”    

The Panthers play next on Monday at 5 p.m. at Marian Catholic High School against the Joliet Generals. The Panthers are 2-2 against the Generals this season.  

For the full boxscore, visit the Northern League Pointstreak page: http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=577390