BY CLIFF SMELLEY
It was a game worthy of the teams’ rankings, but in the end, the Union County High School baseball team came up short, losing 2-1 to top seed Lafayette in the District 6-1A tournament championship game on May 2 in Hilliard.
Lafayette (21-2), which entered the game second in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A power rankings, loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh and scored the winning run on a wild pitch.
The second seed Tigers (14-13), who were seventh in the 1A power rankings, wait to see if they’ll earn an at-large berth in the Region 3 playoffs, which begin Tuesday, May 7.
Lafayette had runners in scoring position in two of the first three innings, but the game remained scoreless until the fourth.
With two outs in the bottom of the first, Garrett Taylor and Richardson both singled, but a fly out to center fielder Preston Bonsall ended the inning.
The Hornets J.T. Cook walked with one out in the third. Brayden Richardson singled before Taylor ground into a fielder’s choice, which resulted in Richardson being put out at second and Cook advancing to third. Just like in the first, a fly out to Bonsall ended the threat.
Kacen Thomassen drew a walk for the Tigers to lead off the top of the fourth. Foster Smith hit a double, followed by a line-drive single into center field by Jake Walker that scored Thomassen. A fly out and a strikeout left runners stranded at the corners.
Union’s lead was short-lived. Lafayette had two on with one out in the bottom of the fourth, with Noah Lamb and Pearson Bass both walking. The runners advanced on a wild pitch before a strikeout gave the Hornets their second out. Lamb scored on a wild pitch before a strikeout ended the inning.
The Hornets put two on with two outs in the fifth, with both runners reaching on walks, but the Tigers got out of the inning with a ground out.
Smith hit a one-out double for Union in the sixth, but he was left stranded on a fly out and a ground out.
The Tigers put their lead runner on in the top of the seventh when Devin Diggs walked. After a strikeout, Diggs stole second. He remained there after a fly out and a ground out ended the inning.
Lafayette began the bottom of the seventh with a ground out to second baseman Walker, but the next three batters reached, with Cook hitting a double, Brayden Richardson walking and Taylor getting hit by a pitch. Cook scored on a wild pitch with Hyatt Richardson at bat to give the Hornets the championship.
Hyatt Richardson pitched a complete game for the Hornets, who’ve now won their last five games against the Tigers. Richardson allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out seven.
Smith was the game’s only batter with multiple hits, going 2 for 3.
Union starting pitcher Ayden Androlevich allowed one run and three hits through 3.1 innings. Diggs and Clayton Poppell combined to give up no hits in 2.2 innings, while Bonsall gave up one hit in one inning.
