Phil Campbell ran into another tough customer on the mound Thursday, mustering only three hits off Hackleburg ace Noah Barnett and falling to the Panthers 5-0.
The Bobcats (8-4) have dropped three straight since starting the season 8-1. In their previous two games, they were shut down by Haleyville's Blake Bennett (7 IP, 2 ER, 2 hits, 11 Ks in a 3-2 win) and Winfield's Toby Porter (7 IP, 0 ER, 2 hits, 11 Ks in a 6-0 win). Barnett followed suit, striking out nine batters in a complete game shutout as Hackleburg improved to 11-4 on the year.
Nate Owens (3-1) took his first loss of the season for Phil Campbell, allowing four earned runs on 12 hits in a six-inning complete game. He struck out four and walked one. The Panthers were leading just 1-0 before scoring three times in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-0.
That was more than enough cushion for Barnett, who had a no-hitter going until Brody Nix singled to right with one out in the top of the fifth. Cole Motes and Peyton Thomas both walked with two outs to load the bases, but Barnett got Austen Baker on a grounder to second to end the inning.
Phil Campbell threatened again in the top of the sixth but had a runner thrown out at the plate on Joe Hardy's two-out single to center. Barnett walked Brandon Thomas in the top of the seventh and gave up a two-out single to Peyton Thomas before escaping the jam and finishing off the shutout.
Peyton Thomas was 1-for-2 with two walks and two stolen bases. Hardy and Nix had the Bobcats' only other hits.
