BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
Despite taking a 6-0 lead in the first, the Union County High School baseball team lost 9-8 to Lafayette in a battle of the top two Class 1A teams in the state in the District 6 championship game on May 4 in Branford.
Thanks to the Florida High School Athletic Association power rankings, the second-ranked Tigers (17-8) will still play at home to begin the Region 3 playoffs. Union will host Madison County (15-8) in a semifinal game on Wednesday, May 10, at 7 p.m. If the Tigers win, they’ll play for the championship on Saturday, May 13. They’d either travel to play Lafayette (19-4) or host Wakulla Christian (17-7).
Union, which defeated Lafayette 4-3 during the regular season, got off to a hot start. Jeremy Miller led off the top of the first with a walk. Ayden Elixson hit a double before Tucker Hardee drove in a run on a ground ball. Hardee reached safely on an error on the throw to first. One out later, Preson Bonsall hit a run-scoring single. Blake Agner then hit a double to plate another two runs. Lafayette committed an error on a throw to third in an attempt to catch Bryson Huggins stealing. Huggins, who entered to run for Agner, scored on the play, making it a 6-0 game.
Lafayette scored in its first at-bat when Dawson Mock, on an 0-2 count, hit a ball over the fence in center for a home run. Matthew Jenkins was hit by a pitch, while Lane Brock singled. The runners advanced on a passed ball before Kevin Posada, who entered to run for Jenkins, scored on Karolos Murphy’s ground out. The Hornets added another run on a single by Hyatt Richardson to cut Union’s lead in half.
The second inning began the same way as the first for the Tigers, with Miller drawing a leadoff walk. After Elixson singled, Hardee walked to load the bases. Tre’Von Lee ground into a fielder’s choice, with Lafayette recording the force out at home. With the bases still loaded, Erick Lasseter walked to force a run in. Bonsall hit a single to score Hardee, but Riggs Davis, who entered to run for Lee, was put out at home when he attempted to score as well.
Jenkins, who started on the mound for the Hornets before exiting in the second, hit his team’s second homer of the night in the bottom of the second. The two-run shot also scored Johntavious Cook, who hit a single to lead off the inning.
Union couldn’t keep up its early success as Lafayette relief pitcher Richardson held the Tigers to three hits in the final six innings. Lee’s single in the top of the fourth was Union’s only hit after the second inning.
The Hornets scored four runs in the third to take the lead and end the scoring for the game. Richardson reached on an error to lead off the inning. Garret Taylor walked before Coen Severance and Cook hit back-to-back RBI singles. Mock walked to load the bases before Union, with two outs, committed an error on a throw to second after a ground ball hit by Jenkins. Two runs scored to put the Hornets up 9-8.
From there, it was stellar effort from both teams’ relievers. Ethan Moody, who replaced starter Lee on the mound in the third, gave up no earned runs and four hits, while striking out five.
Bonsall (2 for 3) and Elixson (2 for 4) had all but three of the Tigers’ hits.
