YSE File Photo
Fielding miscues were too much for the University Heights Academy Blazers to overcome Wednesday afternoon in the Fort Walton Beach Bash. The Blazers were charged with four errors which allowed Frankfort to score four unearned runs as the Panthers took an 8-7 win.
An error in the bottom of the first opened the door for Frankfort to take a 1-0 lead.
The Blazers came back to take their first lead of the game in the top of the third. Ryan Luckey tripled to right to drive in Cadence Gibson. Luckey then scored on an RBI single from Jackson Flynn, putting UHA up 2-1.
Frankfort evened the game up at 2-2 in the bottom half of the inning on a pair of singles and a sac fly.
Back-to-back Blazer errors in the bottom of the 4th opened the door for the Panthers to put three runs on the board, taking a 5-2 lead.
Jackson Flynn got his second RBI of the game in the top of the 5th, scoring Josh Pace on a fielder’s choice, cutting the lead to 5-3. Cadence Gibson scored on a ground out later in the inning to draw the Blazers to within 5-4.
Frankfort came back in the bottom of the inning to score two runs on a double, a triple, and a sacrifice bunt. The Panthers took advantage of a pair of walks in the bottom of the 6th to add an insurance run, extending the lead to 8-4, and that run would turn out to be huge in the scope of the game.
Josh Pace opened the 7th by getting on base thanks to a Frankfort error. After two straight outs, Jackson Flynn singled, giving the Blazers runners on the corners with two out. Jaiden Miles doubled, scoring both Pace and Flynn, bringing UHA to within 8-6. Another Frankfort error allowed Miles to score and suddenly the Blazers were within one run at 8-7.
Things got even more interesting when the Blazers got the potential winning run on base when Eli Finch was hit by pitch, putting the game-tying run in scoring postion down at second base.
However, the UHA threat ended when Frankfort’s Benjamin Peach struck out Bryson Turner to end the game.
Both teams had fielding issues that nearly allowed the other to come away with the win. Both the Blazers and the Panthers were charged with four errors on the day. Each team in turn scored four unearned runs.
Ryan Luckey, Jackson Flynn, Jaiden Miles, Bryson Turner, and Josh Pace had one hit each for University Heights. Miles had two RBIs for the game.
Jackson Flynn got the start for UHA, going 5 innings and giving up 7 runs, just three of them earned, on seven hits, striking out two and walking one.
