After a disappointing performance in the semifinal round, the Panthers looked to make a statement in their final game, and that’s exactly what they did.

Amber-Pocassett wrapped up the Am-Po/Okarche Fall Baseball Classic over the weekend at W. L. Jackson Field with a third-place finish and a pair of wins over Binger-Oney and Drummond.

Am-Po and Okarche, who faced off last season in the Class A state tournament, hosted six teams in the annual fall tournament: Oklahoma Christian Academy, Sterling, Drummond, Binger-Oney, Calumet and Byng.

The Panthers placed third with a record of 2-1 (W: 12-1, L: 12-0, W: 10-5). The wins bring Am-Po’s overall record to 19-7 as it approaches the final month of the regular season.

Game 1: Am-Po 12, Binger-Oney 1

Am-Po opened the tournament with a 12-1 (4 inn.) win over Binger-Oney, behind an explosive offensive start and a dominant defensive finish.

After giving up a run on an RBI single in the top of the first, the Panthers offered a swift response, to the tune of 12 unanswered runs over the next four innings.

A four-run first and a six-run second inning propelled Am-Po into the driver’s seat, where they controlled the game the rest of the way. Am-Po only totaled eight hits in the game, but capitalized on five walks and 11 pitching errors from Binger that helped run up the score.

Right-handed pitcher Nate Brown (2-for-2, 2RBI) and center fielder Bennett Posey (2-for-2, 2R) led the Panthers at the plate and were the only batters to record multiple hits.

Brown (3.0 IP, 4H, 1R, 2K) drew the start on the mound and picked up the win, backed by a stout defense that helped manufacture three-straight scoreless innings. Binger’s offense was held to one hit and no runs after the first inning.

Am-Po’s 12 runs scored stand as a tournament high, while its one run allowed was a tournament low.

Game 2: Calumet 12, Am-Po 0

Am-Po was silenced in the semifinal round, falling to Calumet in a 12-0 (6 inn.) shutout loss. After posting 12 runs in their win over Binger-Oney, the Panthers offense was held scoreless, marking their second shutout of the season.

Calumet wasted no time at the plate, jumping out to a commanding lead after a five-hit, eight-run first inning. Although the Chieftains only scored in two of the last five innings, Am-Po struggled to get runners on base and were unable to put a dent in the deficit.

Shortstop Mason Budd (1-for-2) was the only Panther to record a hit in the game. Am-Po finished 1-for-15 at the plate as a team and struck out a total of seven times.

Right-handed pitcher Cade Boevers (0.2 IP, 4H, 8R, 0K) drew the start on the mound, but his day was cut short after Calumet’s first-inning explosion. Budd (4.1 IP, 6H, 4R, 2K) took over to finish the game on the mound.

Six separate Chieftains recorded at least one hit and one RBI in the game. Three finished with multiple hits, and two finished with multiple RBIs.

With the semifinal loss, Am-Po missed out on a state-tournament rematch with co-host Okarche in the championship game.

Game 3: Am-Po 10, Drummond 5

Am-Po bounced back in a big way with a 10-5 win over Drummond in the third-place game, behind a six-run sixth inning that propelled the Panthers to victory.

Am-Po’s offense found life again, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after a pair of two-run innings to start the game. However, the offense went silent after a five-run Drummond rally in the third inning and was in search of a spark.

That spark came in the sixth inning, after an RBI single from catcher JC Harris tied the game at 5-5. After the tying run, Am-Po went on to score five more runs across its next five at-bats.

Left-handed pitcher Bennett Posey (2-for-3, 2R, 2RBI) and third baseman Connor Copeland (2-for-4, 2R, 1RBI) led the Panthers at the plate and helped fuel the six-run rally. Seven batters recorded at least one hit in the game and six recorded at least one RBI, with four players recording multiple RBIs.

Posey (7 IP, 7H, 5R, 3K) picked up the win on the mound and threw a complete game. Posey only allowed runs in one inning and held the Bulldogs scoreless in the other six.