Gardner-South Wilmington Panthers Baseball Opens Season with Victory Over Seneca

The Gardner-South Wilmington (GSW) Panthers baseball team began their 2026 season with an 11-5 victory over the Seneca Fighting Irish on Wednesday, March 19th. The win marks a strong start for GSW, moving their record to 1-0.

Millette Powers Panthers to Win

Junior Reed Millette was the driving force behind the Panthers’ success, delivering a remarkable performance at the plate. Millette launched two home runs, including a grand slam and a three-run shot, accumulating seven RBIs in the game. He finished the day going 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Shaw Local and MaxPreps both highlighted Millette’s outstanding contribution.

Supporting Cast Contributes

Caden Christensen also contributed offensively for GSW, going 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, an RBI, and a run scored. Cameron Gray added two walks, two runs, and an RBI. Owen Vitko secured the win on the mound, allowing four hits and three runs over four innings pitched.

Seneca Falls Short

Despite the loss, Seneca showed some offensive capability. Brant Roe recorded two RBIs for the Fighting Irish.

Other Local Sports Results

In other local sports action on March 19th:

• Softball: Coal City defeated Plainfield South 3-2, with Masyn Kruder striking out 13 batters and going 2-for-2 at the plate.
• Girls Track and Field: Lila Coleman of Seneca placed second in the long jump at the Normal West Invitational with a distance of 5.23m. Joliet Central also competed at the Romeoville quad, where Aniya Phillips won both the 55m (7.74s) and the long jump (4.40m), and the 4x800m relay team finished first (52.15s).
• Girls Soccer: Neuqua Valley defeated Plainfield Central 6-0, while Plainfield East won against Joliet Catholic 6-1.