CARY - Panther Creek first baseman Aaron Norris was just a few feet away from a home run with his first-inning sacrifice fly to deep left field. In the third inning, he made sure to clear the outfield wall.

Norris’ three-run homer gave him four RBI on the night, leading the Catamounts to a 9-0 win over Cary in Tri-Nine Conference baseball action Tuesday night.

In some ways, Norris’ first two at-bats are a microcosm the incremental improvement of the Panther Creek (4-6, 3-4) program, which is already two wins away from tying the school record.

“We’re starting to turn it around. Now we’re just playing team baseball, and good effort everywhere,” Norris said. “We think we’re going to beat [the school record] and try to make a run at the playoffs.”

While Panther Creek stays in the mix for a possible top-five finish and automatic playoff spot in a jumbled Tri-Nine, Cary (0-9, 0-8) remained winless on the year.

The Imps are in a transitional period after coach Michael Sasscer resigned the previous week. Junior varsity coach Brian Yerger is the interim head coach.

“The kids have really responded. Practices have been going really fine, and the spirits are there,” Yerger said. “They want to play baseball, and outside of that we’ve got work on things on the field. Internally, things are fine.”

Panther Creek went up 2-0 in the top of the first inning with a RBI single by right fielder Alex Malinsky drove in Jordan Coatney and the sacrifice fly by Norris drove in Malinsky.

Norris’ three-run shot to centerfield was followed up by two RBI singles by Panther Creek’s Phillip Risk and Jeff Pegram as 10 batters came to the plate in the third inning.

Cary starting pitcher Ben Kerner was tagged for eight hits and seven runs in just 2 2/3 innings. Reliever Ellis Dyson pitched the next 3 ?1/3 innings giving up one earned, and Addison Scrivani worked a scoreless seventh.

“Our pitchers just couldn’t work ahead, and when you do that you give them better pitches to hit,” Yerger said.

Panther Creek starter Nathan Harris pitched four innings of shutout baseball, giving up just two hits and two walks while striking out five. Typically the team’[s No. 2 starter, Daniel D’Elia pitched the remaining three innings, allowing one hit and two walks.

Since it was the Catamounts’ only game of the week, Jones was able to use both of his starters.

“When we give them some run support they can get the job done,” Jones said. “They’re very competitive and they’ve got an idea of what they want to do.”

In the fourth, Panther Creek pitcher Nathan Harris hit a two-RBI double with the bases full to drive in teammates Ryan Bouton and Thomas Young.

They were the final runs scored in the game, which moved Panther Creek into a tie for seventh place in the Tri-Nine, and just a half-game out of fifth.

“This is a group that’s been together for awhile and they’ve worked awful hard,” Jones said. “Now we’re beginning to see some of those things that we worked on pay dividends. I think there’s some confidence and belief.”

Panther Creek’s 3-4-5 hitters – Malinsky, Bouton and Norris – went a combined 6-of-9 at the plate and accounted for six RBI.

“They got good swings, they were aggressive, they didn’t miss the balls that they wanted to hit,” Jones said.

Cary, meanwhile is still looking for its first win going into Thursday’s home game against Fuquay-Varina.

“This is a great conference for baseball and there’s no room for error,” Yerger said. “It’s going to take a full effort, a full game, and we kept telling them they’re about ready to turn the corner. [We’ve] just got to keep working.”