The Bonney Lake’s Panthers hosted White River Thursday afternoon, finding an April Fool’s joke being played on both starting pitchers, who were forced to exit the baseball encounter early.

Colton Nash, who the Panthers’ everyday second baseman, entered in a relief role and pitched the rest of the way. White River’s Dustin Stroud likewise got off to a rocky start on the hill and made his descent from the mound at roughly the same time, the bottom of the fourth inning, at which time White River was ahead 10-6.

White River went ahead 11-7 in the top of the sixth inning in the wild affair, courtesy of a solo home run by Stroud, who had remained in the game by switching places with catcher Daniel Smith, who had taken over on the bump. It was the second homer of the day for Stroud, who blasted a three-run dinger in the top of third.

Bonney Lake battled back but could only manage two more runs and eventually suffered a 12-9 setback.

March 31, Bonney Lake traveled to Franklin Pierce and played a full game before the next bank of rain-filled clouds rolled in.

By the top of the fifth the Panthers found themselves in a 4-2 hole, which they never were able to dig themselves out of, as the Cardinals would eventually prevail 5-3.