Back-to-back doubles to open the fourth inning, including what was ultimately the game-winner in Race O’Leary’s RBI two-bagger, provided some timely hitting, and helped the Union County High School baseball team outslug University Heights Academy by a count of 10-7 on Monday.
The opposing teams traded two-run innings in the second and third, capped when Nic Luckey was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, drawing the game even at 4-all. In the fourth inning, however, the Braves upped the ante with a four-run explosion, led by O’Leary’s aforementioned extra-base hit and a two-run double by Beau Hopper to give UCHS an 8-4 advantage.
Blazers senior starting pitcher Luke Welch, who went six innings in defeat, eventually prevented any further damage with consecutive strikeouts to end the top of the fourth. Welch (2-4) had eight total strikeouts while allowing eight hits and six earned runs. Luckey gave up three hits and a run in the lone inning of relief.
Trailing 9-5 in the sixth inning, Heights clawed back once again. After Eston Glover’s leadoff double and Matthew Leeper reached on an error, Ben Stone cut Union County’s lead to 9-6 with an RBI single. UHA got even closer on Welch’s sacrifice fly to left, pulling the Blazers within 9-7 of the Braves. Five pitches later, however, JT Dearmond hit into a double play to end the rally.
UCHS, which had lost four straight games coming in, picked up an insurance run on Cannon Scheffer’s two-out RBI single in the top of the seventh. Cole Glover and Seth Hancock drew consecutive one-out walks in the bottom half of the seventh, hoping to will UHA to a comeback effort, but Braves reliever Myles Thomas struck out Ty Hunt and got Eston Glover to ground out to end the ballgame.
The Blazers were unable to capitalize on 10 drawn walks, including two each from DeArmond, Cole Glover, Eston Glover, and Hancock. Stone finished 2-for-3 with a run and two RBIs in the losing effort. Eston Glover went 1-for-3 with two runs and one of two UHA doubles.
Senior leadoff hitter Will Peak set the table for the Braves, finishing 3-for-5 with two runs, three stolen bases, and an RBI. UCHS (16-16) also out-hit UHA 11-7 and took advantage of four Blazer errors. Landon Jones also had a solid night for the visitors, going 2-for-4 with a run and two RBIs.
University Heights (12-19) will play its final regular-season home game of the season with a May 25 showdown with Hickman County. The Falcons (17-9) lost to Mayfield 5-4 on Monday, but have won four of their last six games overall.
