Times were tough at Nichols Field for the Panthers last week.

After nine innings of defensive baseball, it seemed like a different game when Sewickley Academy allowed six-run rally to Aliquippa. But the Panthers a comeback bid of their own, only to have it disappear due to an umpiring gaffe, falling 10-7 in 10 innings to the visiting Quips.

The non-section game lasted over three hours last Thursday, and it prevented the Panthers from building on the momentum of an extra innings win earlier in the week over section opponent Laurel.

"We had a big win on Monday, but this game was important, too. They all are," Sewickley Academy coach Ron Del Duca said.

"With a young team like we have, we obviously want to get reps on the field, and this was a good game against a Double-A school."

The game started with senior Bennet Poepping on the hill for the Panthers, and the Quips took a quick 2-0 lead. Poepping responded with an RBI single of his own, making the score 2-1 after one inning.

In the third, Poepping again came up with a big hit, making the score 3-2 with a two-out double, capitalizing on an Aliquippa error.

"Their pitchers were a little slower than what we usually see, so I was just trying to wait, on the first guy, especially," Poepping said.

"The first one got in on my hands, but I was able to get it into right field. The second one, he gave me a nice pitch and I just drove it into left field."

Poepping's control disappeared in the fourth, and he was replaced by Andy Sharek, who limited the Quips to one run, tying the score at 3-3.

That would be all the scoring until the ninth, with Sharek still on the mound. After hitting Aliquippa's Dan Sonsini with a pitch, the Quips' centerfielder stole second and third. Eli Matich scored him with a single, making the score 4-3.

In the bottom of the ninth, Mike Fulmore drew a leadoff walk and later scored on a single by Sharek, extending the game.

Sharek began to wear down in the tenth, as three walks and three Panthers errors led to a six-run inning for the Quips. With senior pitcher Seth Libby away on a college visit, SA had few other arms available in relief, letting Sharek ride out the storm.

"I was a little concerned personally about (fatigue), but it's coach's decision," Poepping said.

"It would've been nice to get some of the freshmen some work, but we wanted to come out with a win today."

"The inexperienced showed up a little bit at the end, but we were also aggressive with our baserunning, and that cost us some chances," Del Duca said.

Still, the Panthers battled back for three runs in the bottom of the inning before Fulmore was incorrectly called out at first base to give Aliquippa a double play.

On a strange tag-and-force play, Fulmore reached first almost before a throw was even made after his ground ball to second. Still, the umpire made an out call, capping a day filled with inconsistent umpiring and essentially crushing SA's comeback chance.

The loss, followed by a section loss at Union on Monday, 11-4, drops the Panthers record to 3-8 overall, 2-5 in Section 3-A play.