Taking advantage of five errors and five issued walks by its opponent, the University Heights Academy baseball team pieced together a monster fifth inning Tuesday and cruised to a 19-6 road victory over Hopkins County Central, winning for the second straight time to start a season since the 2014 campaign.
The top of the Blazer lineup got it done at the plate, as Ryan Luckey, Ty Hunt, Ian Tyler, Eston Glover and Jackson Flynn combined to go 6-for-15 with 12 runs and 12 RBIs in a five-inning, run-shortened contest in Mortons Gap. Glover, one of four seniors, doubled and drove in a trio of runs, while Tyler tripled and also accounted for three runs and three RBIs.
Heights actually trailed Hopkins Central by a count of 6-3 before exploding for 16 runs in the top of the fifth inning to grab win No. 2 on the young season. The Blazers topped Caldwell County 4-0 in Monday’s season opener.
Glover also had a decent night on the mound. After starting just once and tossing a total of eight innings in 2021, the UHA veteran struck out 10 Storm batters in 3 2/3 innings. Glover also walked four and gave up five hits and five runs, keeping him from earning a decision.
Seventh-grader Jaiden Miles (1-0) recorded just one out to finish the fourth inning, but it was enough to earn his first-career victory on the bump. He also scored twice and drew a pair of walks on offense. Eighth-grader Bryson Turner struck out one and gave up just one hit in his scoreless inning of relief.
Hopkins Central, which was playing its 2022 opener, was led by Chase Brasher (2-for-4, two runs) and Ian Kinkade (1-for-2, three RBIs) in the loss. The Storm used four pitchers in five innings; starter Sage Hight gave up just three hits, but a litany of Storm errors led to seven runs during his four innings of work.
Truman Ballard (0-1) was tagged with the loss. He gave up one hit, four walks and seven earned runs, and was removed before recording an out. Kincaid was also unable to sit down a Blazer, allowing one hit, three walks and four earned runs during his appearance.
University Heights (2-0) is scheduled to play five games during the first week of the new season. The Blazers will try for their third straight win during a March 16 home matchup against Owensboro.
