BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County High School’s baseball team was held to two hits in a 6-2 loss to visiting Lafaytette on April 8 that was a battle between two top-10 Class 1A teams.
Lafayette, which was last year’s state runner-up and third in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Class 1A power rankings, scored four runs in the first inning taking advantage of four singles and two errors.
The Tigers, who are 10th in the FHSAA power rankings, trailed 5-0 before scoring a run in the third. Preston Bonsall drew a walk with one out, while Kacen Thomassen drew one with two outs. Bonsall and courtesy runner Bo Wilson advanced on a wild pitch before Bonsall scored on a passed ball.
Trenton Klein hit a sacrifice fly that scored Devin Diggs in the seventh.
Starting pitcher Ayden Androlevich had five runs scored against him, but only two were earned. He gave up eight hits and one walk through five innings.
Foster Smith allowed one run, three hits and no walks in two innings.
Union (9-10) went 2-1 in its previous two games.
On April 2, the Tigers got a complete-game shutout from Androlevich in a 10-0, five-inning win over host Class 1A Williston.
A four-run first inning included an RBI triple from Smith, an RBI double from Jake Walker and an RBI single from Thomassen. Walker scored on an error.
Union scored all five of its final runs in the third, which included an RBI single from Erick Lasseter and bases-loaded walks drawn by Diggs, Smith, Thomassen and Dallen Cox. Riggs Davis was also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Smith and Thomassen finished with two RBI each.
Walker went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI.
The Tigers also got one RBI each from Bonsall, Cox, Diggs and Lasseter.
Androlevich allowed two hits and one walk, while striking out five.
The Tigers earned another road win on April 4, defeating Class 2A St. Joseph 8-3.
Union led 3-0 before scoring four runs in the fourth, which included an RBI single by Androlevich. Bonsall drew a bases-loaded walk, while Thomassen drove in a run on a ground out. A run also scored on an error.
Androlevich, Bonsall, Klein, Smith, Thomassen and Walker all drove in one run each, while Davis went 2 for 3.
Starting pitcher Thomassen allowed no runs, four hits and two walks through five innings.
Bonsall threw the final inning, giving up no runs and one hit.
The Tigers returned home on April 5 and were involved in pitchers’ duel, with a two-run home run being the difference in a 2-0 loss to Class 6A First Coast.
Lasseter started on the mound for Union, giving up seven hits and no walks, while striking out seven through six innings. First Coast’s home run, which was hit by Hunter Carns, occurred in the sixth inning.
Hayden Carns went the distance on the mound for the Buccaneers, allowing three hits and two walks.
Diggs pitched the final inning for the Tigers, striking out all three batters he faced.
The Tigers travel to play Class 3A Bradford on Tuesday, April 9, at 7 p.m. and will host Class 2A University Christian on Friday, April 12, at 7 p.m. Union hosts Class 4A Taylor County on Tuesday, April 16, at 6:30 p.m.
