If David fights Goliath often enough, one has to figure Goliath will eventually put it all together and figure out how to crush a man a fraction of his size. Plano East, the proverbial Goliath, certainly solved any issues that Berkner had presented in their last meeting, beating the Rams 6-0.

“[This was] more like revenge,” said senior pitcher Mark Roberson. “We felt like we shouldn’t have lost the last game.”

As they did in the first meeting, which Berkner won, 2-1, the Rams kept the game close through 4 ½ innings, allowing the Panthers only one run. In the bottom of the fifth, however, Goliath plucked the sling-shot from David’s hand and never gave it back.

“We let them hang around last time,” said Todd Collins, East head coach. “[After the fifth inning,] We didn’t let them hang around.”

Senior catcher Nick Bell led off the fifth inning but gave little foreshadowing of what was to come, getting thrown out at first. Junior leftfielder Nathan Snodgrass stepped in and did not step out until seven pitches later after drawing a walk, his second of the night.

“We were very undisciplined early at the plate,” Collins said. “We settled in there in the fourth and fifth and did the things we needed to be doing.” Senior second baseman Justin Snider took the first pitch he saw and drove it up the middle, bringing Snodgrass to second. Senior outfielder TJ Bowe saw what Snider had done, thought it looked like a good idea, and followed suit, belting another first-pitch single up the middle, brining Snider to second and driving home Snodgrass for the 2-0 lead.

Senior shortstop Jeff Emens stepped in next and fouled off two pitches before hitting a ball towards Berkner second baseman Sam McNeese. McNeese leapt to field the ball but was unable to get up to it, allowing it to roll into the outfield. Snider came around to score as Bowe ran to third. Sensing the focus would be at home and not second base, Emens tried for the double and got it.

“[Berkner pitcher Stephen Spurlin] threw a lot of first-pitch strikes,” Emens said. “That helped us. You just have to stay back.”

Junior outfielder Logan Reneau came next and drew a walk in five pitches to load the bases with only one out. Junior first baseman Adam Humes stepped in to this RBI-rich situation and watched three pitches before belting the fourth deep to right center. He cruised in to second easily as Emens and Reneau reached home with similar facility. Junior Jason Barrentine came in to run for Humes and promptly was caught stealing third. Senior designated hitter Derek Bell tried to keep the inning going with a double to left center, but sophomore third baseman Connor Zmolik popped out to end the inning.

With the top of the sixth inning, Berkner had their chance to answer. They seemed like they needed someone to repeat the question, as Roberson struck out the side.

“They were crowding the plate,” Roberson said. “So I threw a two-seam [fastball] inside and jammed them all night. A two-seam inside and a slider away.”

Roberson remained strong throughout, striking out nine batters in seven innings while allowing only two free passes.

“Mark’s been great all year,” Collins said. “He’s been dominant.”

His teammate concurred.

“Mark pitched a heck of a game,” Emens said. “He was pounding the zone all night.”

The Panthers’ first run came when Derek Bell split the second and first baseman in the bottom of the fourth, scoring Emens.

“Tonight’s win was huge,” Collins said. “If they win, we’re tied and they’ve got the tie breaker.”

Now East has a split series with the Rams and showed they could perform under duress. Though comfortable in first place, Wylie is on the radar Tuesday at home, and Plano and Allen are to follow.