Photo by Jake McNeill: Tracy-Milroy-Balaton catcher Alex Schuh attempts to slide into home plate during a baseball game against Lakeview in Cottonwood on Thursday. The Panthers defeated the Lakers 12-0 in five innings.

COTTONWOOD — The Tracy-Milroy-Balaton baseball team’s bats connected all night long in their road matchup against Lakeview on Thursday. The Panthers scored early and often before riding a six-run fourth inning to a 12-0 win in five innings.

“It sounded like we were hitting the ball hard today. The first couple of games it wasn’t that way,” TMB head coach James Fultz said. “When that happens, you can tell the energy in the dugout’s a lot better. The guys are more locked in. When you hit the ball hard, it’s one of the better feelings you can have in baseball and the whole lineup seemed like it was doing it today.”

The Panther bats were on fire from the first pitch. Alex Schuh hit a leadoff single and reached second on an error. In the next at-bat, Jeret Ankrum cranked a single to left field to score Schuh for the go-ahead run.

A baserunning miscue on a pop-up to second base resulted in a double play but the Panthers kept coming. Ashton Squires hit a double to get in scoring position and Trevor Smith drove in Squires on another infield pop-up error.

Connor Lanoue hit a one-out double in the second inning. After advancing on an Alex Schuh single, he scored on an Ankrum single. The Panthers nearly pushed another run across on a Noah Knakmuhs single but Schuh was tagged out trying to advance home and a strikeout ended the inning.

Despite some arm soreness, Lanoue pitched four shutout innings on the mound for TMB to pick up his first win of the season. He allowed just three hits and three walks in the start while striking out six batters.

“The plan was to go to him. He threw a bullpen yesterday and felt good so we trusted him and gave him a little more taste of varsity baseball,” Fultz said. “He threw the ball over the plate, he had all three of his pitches working and that keeps a team off balance. And it helps when you have a good defense behind you.”

Errors have been an issue for the Lakers and that trend continued into Thursday night. The Lakers committed six errors in the game and had another several makeable plays.

“We’ve got to work harder,” Lakeview head coach Curt Schake said. “More situational defensive practice. Runners on base, where do you go with the baseball, that type of thing. A lot of young players in there getting a little bit nervous. Some nerves shook out but defense needs to be worked on.”

TMB more than doubled its lead in the top of the fourth inning with another six runs. Alex Schuh, Ankrum and Knakmuhs singled to start the inning. With the bases loaded, Schuh scored on a passed ball and Squires drove a liner to center to score Ankrum for a 5-0 Panther lead.

Still not letting up, Smith grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Knakmuhs. The force out at second was the first out of the inning for Lakeview but Espn Radke kept the momentum going with another RBI single to score Smith.

David Schuh and Jacob Meyer each singled to prompt Lakeview to have Dylan Caron relieve Kyler Post on the mound. Still, Eathan Martinez drew a walk to force in a run and Alex Schuh singled to drive in another, making the score 9-0 after the sixth run of the inning.

The Lakers finally got out of the inning when shortstop Braylon Breyfogle fielded an Ankrum line drive off the mound, tagged second for the first out and threw the ball to Jared Louwagie at first base to end the inning with a double play.

Radke pitched the final inning of relief for TMB. After walking the first batter he faced, Radke induced a grounder to first base in the next at-bat to get the runner out at second on a fielder’s choice. He struck out the next batter and ended the game with a groundout.

It didn’t take the Panthers long into the fifth inning to get the runs they needed to trigger the mercy rule. Knakmuhs singled to start the inning and advanced to second when Squires reached on an error. The runners advanced on a wild pitch and, after a ground out put away the first out of the inning, Brian Erbes singled to left field to score Knakmuhs.

David Schuh kept the rally going after reaching on another infield error and a Griffin Zick single drove in Squires and Erbes for a 12-0 lead.

Alex Schuh, Ankrum and Smith each had four hits for TMB — including a pair of doubles for Schuh and one double for Smith — while Breyfogle, Louwagie, Brooks Smith and Tucker Fiene each had a single for the Lakers.

Post was charged with the loss on the day after allowing nine earned runs over 3 1/3 innings. In his relief appearance, Caron was tagged for three unearned runs over 1 2/3 frames.

TMB improves to 3-0 with the win. The Panthers haven’t had much time practicing outside yet due to the weather, Fultz said, adding that he and the team will take any success they can get in early April.

“Hopefully that keeps rolling and guys build confidence. The more you’re outside, the better it’s going to get. Defense, pitching, everything. And hopefully, as we get into April, it keeps rolling for us.”

The Panthers will head to Ruthton to take on the Russell-Tyler-Ruthton Knights today at 4:30 p.m. It’s a game that Fultz said his team is looking forward to after having a series of tight battles against the Knights over the last few years.

Lakeview falls to 0-3 on the season with the loss and will look to bounce back when they host Wabasso today at 4:30 p.m.