CHOCOWINITY — While a win would not promise the Panthers a playoff spot, a loss would guarantee they would sit out the postseason and with that in mind Northside held off a prideful seventh-inning rally by rival Southside on its Senior Night to cling on to a 7-6 victory in both team’s regular season finale on Thursday.
“It was win and possibly get in or lose and definitely go home,” Northside coach Keith Boyd said. “It’s been a heck-of-a year. We’ve found and invited new ways to lose but tonight we were able to hang in, and for anybody that’s ever played or coached in this league they know hanging in means a lot.”
It figures to mean a wildcard berth for the Panthers, who finished the regular season with a 5-9 Four Rivers Conference record.
“You don’t ever know what crazy things could happen but I feel about 85 to 95 percent sure that we probably get in,” Boyd said.
After scoring two runs in the top of the seventh, the Panthers took a 7-4 lead into the home half of the inning. The Seahawks (5-14) rallied for two runs and had runners in scoring position when Northside ace Ryan Arthur was able to buckle down and record the last out.
“Any time us and Northside get together it’s always going to be fun,” Southside coach Jeff Carrow said. “Me and Coach Boyd get along pretty well and we always kid about anytime we play that’s it’s going to come down to the final two innings no matter what the season is like.”
Arthur threw all seven innings to pick up the win and went 1-4 with two RBIs to help his own cause. Brandon Barr went 3-3 with an RBI for Northside, while Cole Cutler was 3-4 and drove in a run.
Southside was led at the plate by Hayden Bogart, who went 2-3 with three RBIs.
Before the game, the Seahawks honored seniors Rokeem Miller, Eric Vick, Matt Boyd, Kyle White, Daniel Woolard and Bogart.
“I’m proud of each one of my seniors,” Carrow said. “I’ve got six seniors, (four) of them have been regulars (Woolard, Bogart, White and Vick) and all of them have made contributions to this team tremendously this year. “
“Matt Boyd has spot-played and has worked hard the three years he’s been here. Kyle White, I can’t say enough about the kid. He tore his ACL but he’s been out here everyday in practice supporting the team. This is Rokeem’s first year playing baseball and he’s improved leaps and bounds.
“The other guys, Daniel Woolard and Hayden Bogart, have been the meat of my lineup and hit the ball hard and are solid defensively. And for Eric, it’s been a huge, huge year for him. He spot-played last year and this year he’s been able to step in and be a solid defensive player and pitcher for us.”

Northside    120    002    2    —    7    9
Southside    100    030    2    —    6    6
WP: Ryan Arthur; LP: Terry Moore
Hitting: N — Caleb Sherman 1-3, Cole Cutler 3-4 (RBI), Ryan Arthur 1-4 (2 RBI), Caleb Alligood 1-3, Cole Baynor 1-3, Brandon Barr 3-3 (RBI); S — Will Mumford 1-1, Austin Nobles 1-3, Hayden Bogart 2-3 (3 RBI), Daniel Woolard 1-4 (RBI), Lawrence Brown 1-2.