YSE File Photo
A pair of two-run homers helped carry Choctawhatchee past the University Heights Academy Blazers Tuesday evening in the Fort Walton Beach Bash. The Indians got the long balls in the bottom of the first and in the bottom of the fifth on their way to a 9-5 win over the Blazers, ending UHA’s two-game winning streak.
UHA got on top in the game when Courtland Gibson grounded out in the top of the first, scoring his brother Cadence, who had singled earlier in the inning.
The Indians came back in the bottom of the inning with the first of the two-run dingers to take a 2-1 lead. Choctawhatchee added a run in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Blazers cut the lead to 3-2 in the top of of the third when Courtland Gibson singled to drive in Ryan Luckey.
The game would stay that way until the bottom of the 5th when the Indians scored on an RBI single and the second of the 2-run homers to push the lead out to 6-2.
UHA made their move to get back in the game in the top of the sixth. Aiden Jones led off the inning with a pinch-hit double. The Blazers then used a hit batter, three walks, and a sac fly to plate three runs of their own, cutting the Indians’ lead to 6-5.
Choctawhatchee got some insurance in the bottom half of the inning with an RBI double and then a costly Blazer fielding miscue that allowed to two runs to score. The game moved into the top of the 7th with the lead back out to four runs at 9-5.
UHA got two runners on base in the top of the seventh but could not get anything else going as the Indians held on to take the win.
Jackson Flynn and Sam Belt each had two hits for University Heights. Courtland Gibson finished the game with two RBIs.
The Indians ended up outhitting the Blazers 9 to 8. The Blazers were charged with three errors in the game.
Josh Pace is tagged with the loss for the Blazers. Pace went five innings, giving up seven runs on eight hits, striking out nine while walking only one.
