BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School’s baseball team held a 4-2 lead before giving up five runs in the fifth in a 7-5 loss at Lafayette on April 22.
The Tigers (11-12) went up 2-1 with a two-run second. Erick Lasseter drew a walk, while Ayden Androlevich was hit by a pitch. Both scored on a Devin Diggs double, which was just one of three hits Union had for the game.
Lafayette (17-2), which entered the game third in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A power rankings, evened the score in the fourth, but Union went back on top with a two-run fifth. Preston Bonsall and Kacen Thomassen both walked. Foster Smith hit an RBI single, while Jake Walker drove in another run on a sacrifice bunt.
The Hornets answered with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, scoring the first on a bases-loaded walk and then scoring the remaining runs on three consecutive singles.
Diggs led the Tigers with two RBI, while Smith, Walker and Trenton Klein each had one.
The Tigers, who are ninth in the 1A power rankings, entered the game off an 8-2 win over visiting Taylor County on April 16.
Union led 3-0 until scoring five runs in the fourth. A walk by Lasseter and singles from Riggs Davis and Androlevich loaded the bases. Diggs hit a two-run single, while Bonsall drove in a run on a ground out. Klein hit an RBI double and later scored on an error.
Diggs finished with two RBI, while Bonsall, Klein, Smith and Thomassen each had one.
Thomassen was the team’s only batter with more than one hit, going 2 for 4.
Starting pitcher Androlevich allowed no runs, two hits and two walks, while striking out four through four innings.
Smith, Clayton Poppell and Diggs each pitched one inning with two strikeouts each.
The Tigers played Bradford this past Tuesday and will host Baker County on Thursday, April 25, at 7 p.m.
