BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Fort White’s Daniel Gonzalez hit a double that broke a 2-2 tie in the top of the ninth as the Union County High School baseball team was eliminated from the Region 3-1A playoffs with a 4-2 semifinal loss to the visiting Indians on May 10.
The Indians (15-6) now travel to play Lafayette (17-3) for the Region 3 championship on Friday, May 13.
With the exception of Ayden Elixson, Union (14-12) struggled against pitchers Dylan Lovelace and Jonathan Fischer. Elixson went 3 for 3 and drove in both of the Tigers’ runs, while the rest of the team went 3 for 31.
It didn’t look as if it would be an offensive struggle at first as Quinten Rawls led off the bottom of the first with a double. After Jay Cohen was intentionally walked, Elixson hit a two-out single to score both runners and put the Tigers ahead 2-0.
Fort White loaded the bases in the third on a single and two walks. Easton Flynn singled to score two runs and tie the game.
Flynn’s hit was only the third allowed by Union pitcher Luke Johns up to that point. Johns gave up four hits total and struck out six in going eight innings.
With one out in the top of the ninth, Flynn hit a one-out single. Zander Eyjolfsson then bunted, with pitcher Quinten Rawls fielding the ball and throwing it to second in an attempt to get the lead runner out. The throw pulled second baseman Jake O’Steen away from the bag. Gonzalez then stepped to the plate and doubled into center field as the Indians scored two runs.
Blake Agner reached on an error and advanced to second to lead off the bottom of the ninth. He moved to third on Trevor Holtzendorf’s ground out. After another ground out, Fischer, who was pitching, caught a line drive by Rawls to end the game.
