Aiden Jones provided the decisive hit with two outs in the bottom of the 8th on Thursday to give University Heights a 9-8 walk-off win over visiting Apollo.
Jackson Flynn singled in a run in the bottom of the 1st to hand the Blazers an early edge before Ryleigh Logan answered with a solo homerun to lead off the Apollo 2nd. UHA again nudged in front on Jones’ RBI single in the 3rd, but the Blazers wouldn’t lead again until the final play of the game.
Apollo used four RBI singles to power a six-run 4th inning and take a 7-2 advantage before Cadence Gibson and AJ Hogart both doubled in runs in the bottom of the frame to cut the margin to two.
Trailing 8-5 in the 6th, the Blazers pushed a run across on an error ahead of a Flynn RBI double with no outs, but three straight strikeouts left them a run short of tying the game.
With UHA down to its last out and Gibson on second base, Apollo elected to intentionally walk Hogart and Flynn to load the bases for Jones. Jones wasted no time in making the Eagles pay, smacking a line drive to right field on the first pitch he saw to plate two runs to walk it off.
Hayden Hunt had four hits in five at-bats for the Blazers, Jones had two hits and drove in three runs, and Hogart and Flynn each hit safely twice and collected two RBI. Gibson chipped in a hit and an RBI.
Jaiden Miles started on the mound for the Blazers and struck out all three batters he faced. Bryson Turner earned the win with two innings of work, walking one and striking out two, and four other UHA pitchers each went one inning.
Logan finished 2/4 with an RBI for Apollo, and Jackson Carder also had two hits and an RBI.
Logan also took the loss on the mound, allowing two earned runs on a hit with three walks and a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.
The Blazers have a road doubleheader on Saturday when they’ll face Bowling Green and Owensboro Catholic.
