The Delavan Varsity Panthers wasted no time seizing control Friday evening, overwhelming the IC/Hartem Cougars 16–1 in a dominant four‑inning victory marked by explosive offense and airtight pitching.

Delavan set the tone immediately in the bottom of the first, sending 11 runs across the plate. Grady Burrell opened the scoring with a productive groundout, followed by a flurry of RBI hits: Mason Zeigler drove in two with a single, Hudson Briggs added two more with a base hit of his own, Drake Neuendorf plated a run on a groundout, and Corbin Soldal capped the inning with an RBI single.

The Panthers kept rolling in the second. Hunter Lusher launched a two‑run homer to left — the first of his varsity career — and Neuendorf followed with a two‑run single down the left‑field line to extend the lead even further.

Delavan’s bats stayed hot in the third, adding five more runs on four hits. Trace Kight‑Garlisch opened the frame with a solo shot to left, also marking his first career home run. Briggs doubled in a run, Soldal was hit by a pitch to force in another, and Burrell delivered a two‑RBI single to round out the scoring.

On the mound, Corie Green was untouchable. The right‑hander earned the win with two hitless, scoreless innings, striking out five of the seven batters he faced while walking just one. Soldal closed the game in relief. IC/Hartem’s Ryder Claypool took the loss after allowing 11 runs (seven earned) on 11 hits in 1⅓ innings.

The Panthers’ offense was relentless, piling up 15 hits. Lusher, Kight‑Garlisch, Green, Soldal, Briggs, and Zeigler each recorded two hits, while Burrell led the team with three RBIs. Defensively, Delavan was flawless, committing no errors and turning a double play. Soldal led the fielding effort with six chances.

With the win, Delavan continues to build momentum behind a balanced lineup and confident pitching staff — a combination that proved far too much for the Cougars to handle.