The Caldwell County Tigers had the potential winning run at third base in the bottom of the seventh inning against Union County on Tuesday.
However, the Tigers could not break the 2-2 tie, then saw the visiting Braves score a run on a wild pitch in the eighth inning to take a 3-2 decision at the VFW Ballpark in Princeton.
Caldwell trailed 2-0 early, but came back to tie the things with runs in each of the third and fourth innings.
Hunter Newsom’s two-out RBI single to right cut the Union lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third.
Logan Smiley tied the game in the fourth with a line drive to right field with two outs. That made it a 2-2 contest.
Union loaded the bases with one out in the top of the eighth inning and got the go-ahead run on the wild pitch. The Tigers got out of the jam, just allowing the one run. But Caldwell could not get anything going offensively in the bottom of the eighth, going down in order as Union held on 3-2.
The Tigers are now 0-2 after a 4-0 loss at University Heights Academy on Monday. Union is now 2-0.
Smiley finished 2-for-4 at the plate. Both sides were limited to just base hits by solid pitching.
Union took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, using two walks and an infield single by Riley Cullen.
Cullen singled home another run after the Braves loaded the bases with no outs in the third. But a lineout, then a 2-3 double play on a high-bouncing ball just in front of home plate got Caldwell out of that inning and left in a 2-0 game.
Ben Goodaker went the first six innings for Caldwell, allowing two runs on four hits. He struck out eight and walked four. Cole Slone tossed the last two innings, allowing one run on two hits. He fanned four and walked two.
Race O’Leary was the winning pitcher for Union with four innings of one-hit baseball in relief of starter Cannon Sheffer. The Union hurlers combined for 10 strikeouts and five walks.
Cullen was 2-for-3 at the plate for the Braves while Isaac Phillips went 2-for-4.
The Tigers will play at home again on Thursday when they host Livingston Central.
Union goes to Daviess County on Thursday.
