BARBOURVILLE — Missed opportunities and errors forced the Middlesboro Yellow Jackets to play from behind Thursday at Knox Central. Right-hander Justin King made sure they stayed there as he retired the final nine batters he faced and the Panthers went on to a surprising 11-1 win in six innings.

“We’re still playing an awful lot of young kids and we still make some young mistakes,” Jacket coach Billy Powell said. “But we’re also making mental mistakes that even young teams shouldn’t make, especially at this stage of the season.

“We’ve shown flashes but we just need to show it more often.”

After Middlesboro went down in order in the top of the first, Knox Central scored three runs in the bottom. They were helped along by a pair of Jacket errors, Tyler Gilbert had an RBI single and another run scored on a wild pitch.

The Jackets got one run back in the second. Evan Womack singled, stole second, and went to third on Alex Pratt’s ground-out. Kendall Ferguson followed with an RBI single to make it 3-1.

Ferguson stole second and was eventually left stranded at third base. Middlesboro then left the bases loaded in both the third and fourth innings. In the fourth they failed to score after loading the bases with no outs.

“In the games that we’ve lost this season it just seems like we can’t come up with big hits when we come up with guys on second and third or the bases loaded,” said Powell. “We’re not getting people to step up and get big hits when the team needs it.”

Knox Central’s Aaron Smith connected for a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth — his blast to left-center came after another MHS error.

King retired the Jackets in order in the fifth and sixth innings as the Panthers put the game away.

In the fifth Jeff Canady had an RBI single, Gilbert drove in a run with a ground ball, Smith added a sacrifice fly and Tyler Bailey an RBI single to stretch the lead to 9-1.

Two walks and an error loaded the bases for the Panthers in the bottom of the sixth. Brent Mills scored on a wild pitch and Gilbert’s fly out was deep enough to score Seth Branham to end the game early.

Womack and Ferguson led the Jackets with two hits each while Austin Baker and Timmy Helton added singles.

Powell pointed out that Baker along with Jake Partin and Thomas Epperson are playing through various injuries.

Matt Cox took the loss after pitching the first four-plus innings. He allowed five earned runs on four hits while striking out two and walking two. Michael Wilson pitched the final 1-1/3 and allowed two unearned runs on one hit with two strikeouts and two walks.

Middlesboro (19-12) is scheduled to host South Laurel today at 5:30 p.m. and Whitley County Saturday at 1 p.m., weather permitting. They’ll host the 52nd District Tournament Monday when they take on Harlan at 8 p.m.

“We’re just going to keep working hard to get ready for the post-season,” Powell said. “The region is wide open this year. If we beat Harlan and get in there, there are going to be seven other teams that are capable of beating us or that we’re capable of beating and all seven other teams can say the same thing.”

Knox Central (17-9) has completed their regular season and will take on Pineville Monday at 5 p.m. in the 51st District Tournament at Union College.

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Middlesboro 010 000 — 1 6 4

Knox Central 300 242 — 11 5 1

Cox, Wilson (5) and Brock; King and Gilbert. W—King. L—Cox. HR—KC:Smith.