Centralia has been unbeatable in the first inning so far this season.

The Panthers are undefeated through three games because of their early scoring with a 9-1 victory against Bowling Green (1-1) happening Tuesday at home. Centralia (3-0) scored six runs in the first inning after scoring multiple runs in 14-4 and 8-3 wins against Eugene and Montgomery County, respectively. 

Chase Kempker had a hand in Tuesday’s victory as he finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double at the plate and three strikeouts in three innings on the mound. Kempker has liked how the team has been “coming out hot” in three games.

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“We stay locked in,” Kempker said. “We definitely show up to play. We started out this game 6-0 and started out the last game 4-0. We’re a first-inning team for sure.”

Kempker and Grant Kendrick each knocked in two runs in the first inning against Bowling Green and Cooper Gehring, who finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, also had a RBI hit in the initial frame. 

“It’s fun,” head coach Mike Rodgers said. “It also changes the whole way we go about the rest of the game.”

Rodgers said Centralia has talented hitters throughout their lineup. He added there is much variety as well as there are power hitters, contact hitters and kids with speed.

“We’ve really worked on our mental approach and understanding what pitches we can handle and what pitches we don’t,” Rodgers said. “That’s what you see early is we go out and get there. All of sudden, we jump ahead and our eyes get a little bigger and want to hit the ball a little bit farther.”

Rodgers cautioned that runs, let alone multiple runs, won’t always cross the plate in the first inning. He said he would like to see an improvement at the plate later in the game by not trying to do too much because he has noticed a lot of popups after the first inning. 

There are definitely some kids on the team with the size and ability to hit the ball far, Rodgers said, but they have also demonstrated discipline at the plate by laying off low pitches against Bowling Green. Most of Centralia's hits were up the middle.

“That’s normal, and I get it,” Rodgers said. “They’re having fun out there. At the end of the day, we’re good with that.”

Hank Lee was effective in his first outing and start of the season by striking out four and allowing one run on two hits and one walk. Kempker also made his mound debut this season with four strikeouts in three innings.

Kempker said Lee did well on the mound and he tried to follow that performance by showing Bowling Green a different look from the left side. He said he “can’t complain” after striking out half the batters he saw. 

“I liked my changeup for sure,” Kempker said. “I’ve got to work on the curveball and locating spots with the two seam.”

Rodgers said Kempker was Centralia’s No. 1 pitcher last season and pitched in big games so he’s glad to see him “back in shape” after he played in a basketball season that lasted until sectionals. Lee is somebody the team trusts as well, Rodgers said, so that is why he started on Tuesday. He could have pitched longer in his first outing, but Rodgers said they decided to keep him under a pitch count. 

“He looked just like we thought he was,” Rodgers said. “He’s super competitive. He tries to fill the zone and attack every hitter.”

Rodgers said Lee’s contributions on the mound and Kempker later in the game are also a big factor in Centralia’s early success. Lee “set the tone” by putting up zeroes. He has seen the same effort from kids like Kendrick against Montgomery County with five strikeouts in four hitless innings, and Anthony Ford with seven strikeouts and one earned run in four innings against Eugene.

“Our hitters can relax a little more at the plate, too,” Rodgers said. “It’s not all about the hitting because our pitchers are really setting this perfect stage for them to have some fun.”

Rodgers said Centralia has a tough schedule the rest of the way and will have some challenges in the Clarence Cannon Conference this year like Palmyra and Macon. He said there are good players that aren’t making it on the field for varsity right now so Centralia has high expectations. 

“In high school sports, sometimes it’s not how good you are but how good everybody else is, too,” Rodgers said. “But our expectations are to play for championships in the tournaments that we’re in and we expect to be playing for the championship in the conference and then a district championship and state championship.”