PLYMOUTH – As expected, the Plymouth High School baseball team took care of business in its opening round sectional game Thursday, crushing South Bend Washington 10-0 at Centennial Park’s Bill Nixon Field.

It took the Pilgrims just five innings to dispatch of the Panthers.

“We did what we needed to do,” Pilgrim head coach Ryan Wolfe said.

Plymouth did all of its offensive “damage” without the benefit of an extra base hit. In fact, the Pilgrims had just four singles and only one inning with multiple hits.

To be honest, on many occasions Washington was its own worst enemy. The Panthers committed seven errors and their pitchers walked four batters and hit two others.

Plymouth had multiple base runners in each inning and they were in motion often thanks to five wild pitches by Washington pitching.

“We took advantage of some freebies they gave us,” Wolfe said.

After a scoreless first inning, Plymouth scored one in the second, two in the third, four in the fourth and three in the fifth.

In that fourth inning, the Pilgrims batted around, sending nine players to the plate.

The first three hitters reached base and scored. Plymouth managed just two hits in the inning, but took advantage of two walks, a hit batter, and a couple of Panther errors.

Grady Metsker, Preston Wolfe and Parker Wolfe all scored two runs apiece. Ben Shively had two of Plymouth’s four hits and Metsker and Preston Wolfe had the other two.

Metsker and Parker Wolfe reached base three times each.

Pilgrim junior Nick Manzuk pitched a two-hit shutout, striking out seven of the 15 batters he faced, while walking no one. He struck out the side in the second inning and Washington never had a base runner in scoring position.

“Nick was really good,” said Wolfe, who said Manzuk only threw 45 pitches. “He’s been really good lately. He’s been really dialed in these last four or five starts.”

Plymouth sophomore catcher Drake Feece continued his mastery of getting hit by a pitch. He got plunked twice in the game, raising his state-leading total to 31 in 27 games this season, which by the way is a state record for a single season.

“He’s on top of the plate so he’s as close as he can get,” Wolfe explained. “I was a pitcher and it’s really hard when a guy is on top of the plate. It’s hard to even throw it over the middle of the plate. It’s pretty crazy to think he’s been hit that many times.”

The Pilgrims will now turn their attention to the sectional semi-finals where they will meet the winner of Thursday’s late game, which was New Prairie versus Mishawaka Marian. The semi-final round will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday with Glenn facing No. 5 South Bend St. Joseph. The Plymouth game follows, beginning at approximately noon.

In the semis, the Pilgrims will throw ace Preston Wolfe, who has a 1.06 ERA in 13 appearance this season.

If Plymouth is fortunate enough to advance to Monday’s championship game, the Pilgrim boss would likely throw Manzuk again.

• PLYMOUTH 10, SOUTH BEND WASHINGTON 0

Plymouth      012 43 – 10 4 0

SB Washington 000 00 –  0 2 7

WP: Nick Manzuk (catcher Drake Feece)

LP: Martin Tallman (catcher Gabe Weber)

Records: Plymouth 17-11, South Bend Washington 7-15 (final)