Telegraph Staff Writer
Host Oak Hall got a two-out, bases-loaded triple from Ethan Szlachetka in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Eagles defeated the Union County High School baseball team 5-2 on April 18.
The Tigers (10-8) had taken the lead in the top of the fifth. With two outs, Quinten Rawls and Jake O’Steen walked. Oak Hall then elected to intentionally walk Jay Cohen. Tre’von Lee stepped to the plate and delivered a hit into center field that scored two runs, putting Union ahead 2-1.
Most of the game was a struggle offensively for the Tigers, who had just four hits against pitchers Szlachetka and Troy Freeman. Eli Rimes did hit a two-out double in the fourth, but Freeman, who started and threw 4.2 innings, bounced back and recorded his second strikeout of the inning.
Union had seven strikeouts in all against Freeman and 10 for the game.
The Tigers entered the game off a dramatic 7-6 win over visiting Columbia on April 15 in which Blake Agner hit a bunt single to score the winning run in the bottom of the seventh.
Union had gone scoreless for four innings until Lee homered over the fence in left to lead off the seventh, tying the score at 6-6. One out later, Rimes walked. Rimes advanced to second on a wild pitch and moved to third on a balk, setting him up to score on Agner’s hit.
The Tigers got off to a fast start, scoring four runs in the first inning. Cohen and Rimes drove in runs on a sacrifice fly and a ground out, respectively, while Agner and Ayden Elixson each walked with the bases loaded.
Rawls hit a double and later scored on a wild pitch in the second inning, putting the Tigers ahead 5-3. Columbia scored three runs before Union won it in the seventh.
O’Steen and Rawls each went 2 for 3, while Lee went 2 for 4.
In 3.2 innings of relief, Rimes gave up one run on not hits.
Prior to playing Columbia, Union got a complete-game shutout from pitcher Luke Johns in a 5-0 win over visiting Keystone Heights on April 12.
The Tigers scored all of their runs in the second inning. They loaded the bases on singles by Elixson, Rimes and Agner. Trevor Holtzendorf drove in a run on a sacrifice fly, while Johns drove in another on a single. O’Steen then hit a two-run triple and later scored himself on a wild pitch.
On the mound, Johns gave up two hits and four walks.
The Tigers travel to play Bradford on Thursday, April 21, at 6:30 p.m. They then host Fort White on Tuesday, April 26, at 6 p.m.
