BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School’s baseball team scored all of its runs in the fifth inning and survived a seventh-inning rally that featured a grand slam to defeat host Trinity Catholic 7-6 on Feb. 27.
It was the seventh straight win for the Tigers (7-1) after opening the season with a home loss to Trinity Catholic.
The Tigers loaded the bases in the fifth, with Foster Smith and Carter Whitehead each hitting a single after a Kacen Thomassen walk. Landen Miller drew a walk to force a run in, while another scored when Brezdyn Browning was hit by a pitch. Jeffrey Brugh reached on an error, which allowed a run to score, before Miller scored on a passed ball. Trenton Klein hit an RBI single, while the final runs occurred on sacrifice fly balls hit by Jake Walker and Erick Lasseter.
Union led 7-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. The Celtics scored one run on a double by Matthew Wetherell. After a hit batter and a walk loaded the bases, Tommy Silva drove an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left, pulling the Celtics to within one.
A fly out to Brugh in center field ended the game.
Thomassen, Walker and Bo Wilson all pitched, combined to allow just four hits. Thomassen, who started, gave up one run and two hits through five innings.
The Tigers entered the game off a 3-2 win at Dunnellon on Feb. 26 in which Walker drove in the winning run.
Union scored two runs in the top of the first. Brugh led off with a single, advanced when Dunnellon committed an error on a ball put into play by Klein and scored on a steal of home. With two outs, Thomassen was hit by a pitch, while Ayden Adrolevich walked to load the bases. Klein scored on a wild pitch.
It was a 2-2 game going into the sixth. Klein was hit by a pitch, advanced to third when Lasseter reached on an error and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Walker.
Brugh had half of the Tigers’ eight hits, going 4 for 5.
Starting pitcher Lasseter gave up two runs (one earned), six hits and no walks in six innings.
Walker threw the final inning, allowing no hits.
Union plays at Oakleaf on Tuesday, March 4, at 7 p.m. and will host University Christian on Friday, March 7, at 7 p.m. The Tigers then travel to Ocala to play Forest on Monday, March 10, at 7 p.m.
