The "Not So" Early Buzz Around the Pike View Panthers

Weston Gordon

The Pike View Panthers baseball team has picked up right where they left off from a season ago… Firing on cylinders.

A season ago, the Panthers won twenty-three games before falling to the Independence Patriots in the Region III finals.

In 2025, the Panthers returned all but three starters and added four freshmen. Those returners include a host of impactful underclassmen, who carry significant weight in both the batting lineup and pitching rotation.

Leading the way on the bump for the Panthers is sophomore, Eli Hilling. Thus far in 2025, Hilling has an impressive 4-0 record; however, his dominance in those four outings is certainly the most impressive. In twenty-three innings pitched, Hillings has tallied forty-seven strikeouts while giving up only five hits and two earned runs. Landon Bolen and Eli Naylor are two freshmen who have made immediate impact on the pitching rotation this spring. In two games and thirteen innings pitched, Bolen is 2-0 with sixteen strikeouts and has only surrendered one earned run. Naylor has performed well as both a starter and in relief for the Panthers. In just eight innings pitched he has amassed 15 K’s. In the three games started, Landon Bolen has two wins while striking out 15 and allowing only 1 earned run. Christian Walters, Landon Wyatt, and Bryson Bailey each add additional depth to the rotation. The sensational sophomore, Landon Wyatt pitched a no-hitter on March 28th against Bluefield. This outing saw Wyatt strike out nine of the eighteen batters he faced as the team cruised to a 12-0 victory.

Freshman catcher Trenton Tolliver leads the Panther defense. So far this spring, Tolliver has been a menace to all opponents from behind the plate. In 107 total chances, the catcher has ninety-eight total putouts and six assists. He has also caught multiple runners stealing. When not on the hill, Eli Naylor anchors the defense at the short stop position. Bryson Bailey and Drew Damewood typically round out the corners. In the outfield, Landon Wyatt takes charge in centerfield, with Landon Bolen and Austin Bennett playing adjacent in left and right. Eli Hilling is the Swiss army of the defense, typically filling the gaps for those defenders who are on the mound. Deuce Rompon and Braden Huggins are also large contributors for the Panther defense.

The Pike View offense is led by the bat of Landon Wyatt. Wyatt, who is currently batting .600, has eighteen hits and 15 RBIs through the first nine games. Add to that, the sophomore leads the team with eleven stolen bases. Eli Naylor, Christian Walters, Eli Hilling, and Austin Bennett also bring hot bats to the plate.

With twenty-one games left of the regular season, the Panthers are just getting started. If you love fun and energetic baseball,

then this is a club that you need to follow. Take notice, because the Panthers are on the prowl.

On April 4th, the Panthers defeated the Graham G-Men in the opening game of the Coppinger Tournament. On Tuesday, they will continue Coppinger action as they take on Christiansburg at Honeycutt Field.