An exciting finish as the University Heights Academy Blazers won their 6th straight game Friday evening. Ryan Luckey’s two-out single with a South Warren error on the same play allowed Thomas Hallmark to score the winning run as the Blazers walked off a 3-2 win.
The walkoff win came after the Spartans had rallied from an early 2-0 deficit, scoring single runs in the top of the fourth and in the top of the sixth to pull even.
The Blazers opened with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first. Hayden Hunt drove in Ryan Luckey with a double with Hunt advancing to third on a throw to the plate that pegged out Cadence Gibson. Hunt then scored the second run of the inning on a balk.
From that point, South Warren’s Tanner King kept the Blazers in check until he left the game after five innings.
UHA starter Jaiden Miles was rolling right along until the top of the fourth. South Warren used a double, a wild pitch and a sac fly to trim the lead to 2-1. The Spartans then tied the game up in the top of the sixth on a single, two wild pitches, and another single.
In the bottom of the seventh, Thomas Hallmark led off the inning with a walk. After Jaiden Miles and Courtland Gibson struck out, Josh Pace singled, giving the Blazers runners at first and second and setting the stage for the game’s final play.
Hayden Hunt had a big night at the plate for the Blazers, going 3-3 with an RBI and a run scored.
For the game, the Blazers had seven hits to four for the Spartans.
Jaiden Miles went 5 ⅔ innings, giving up two runs on four hits, striking out six and walking two. Thomas Hallmark went 1 ⅓ in relief, giving up no runs and no hits, striking out three and walking none.
South Warren had entered the night at 16-3 with only two losses to Kentucky teams. Now, they have to losses of their four to teams out of the 8th District. Christian County defeated the Spartans back on April 1.
UHA improves to 12-5 with the win.
