REEDSVILLE – L. Lodel delivered a game-winning single in the bottom of the eighth inning, lifting the Reedsville Varsity Panthers to a 5-4 victory over the Iola-Scandinavia Thunderbirds on Thursday at Reedsville High School.

The Panthers trailed 2-1 before rallying late, then held off a Thunderbirds comeback to secure the walk-off win. The teams entered the eighth tied at 4 before Lodel’s hit plated the decisive run.

Iola-Scandinavia outhit Reedsville 8-7, but stranded opportunities and could not overcome the Panthers’ patience at the plate and timely hitting. Reedsville drew eight walks in the contest.

The Panthers struck first in the second inning when B Prochnow drew a walk and came around to score for a 1-0 lead.

Iola-Scandinavia tied the game at 1 in the third when Jameson Heshcke grounded out. The Thunderbirds grabbed a 2-1 advantage in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Ben Gruba.

Reedsville answered in the bottom of the fifth as C. Schawhn walked and scored to make it 2-2. The Panthers then seized a 4-2 lead in the sixth when Lodel hit a sacrifice fly that drove in two runs.

Iola-Scandinavia rallied in the seventh, tying the score at 4 on two singles, the second coming from Wyatt Wolberg.

Jose Gutierrez, Broghan Gullixon and Chase Timdal each recorded two hits to pace the Thunderbirds. Gullixon, Wyatt Wolberg, Ben Gruba and Jameson Heshcke each drove in one run.

For Reedsville, Lodel and J. Schwahn each collected two hits. Lodel finished 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and stole two bases. Schwahn earned the victory in relief, allowing four hits and two runs over three innings with two strikeouts and one walk.

Timdal took the loss for Iola-Scandinavia, working two innings and surrendering three runs (one earned) on three hits with one strikeout and three walks. Starter Mason Morfey pitched three innings, giving up two hits and one run while striking out six and walking three.

Lodel started for the Panthers and went five innings, allowing four hits and two runs (one earned) with two strikeouts and two walks.

The Panthers turned one double play in the game and displayed strong plate discipline throughout, with E. Sebo drawing three walks to lead the team.

The Thunderbirds showed resilience by erasing deficits multiple times, but fell short in the extra frame on Lodel’s clutch hit. The result left Reedsville celebrating a hard-fought extra-inning victory at home.