BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Union County’s 10U Minor All-Star baseball team scored five runs in the first inning en route to defeating Madison 10-6 to win the District 6 championship — the program’s first in 27 years.
It was the second straight win over Madison as part of a 4-0 outing in the June 5-8 tournament in Live Oak. It was also the third straight tournament swept by the Union team, which went 4-0 in the May 16-18 All-Star Warmup in Citra and then 4-0 in the May 24-25 All-Star Warmup in Newberry.
Union got off to a strong start in the District 6 championship game, getting three consecutive singles from Kyron Cohen, Rafe Alvarez and Judson Vickery to lead off the bottom of the first. Vickery’s hit scored the game’s first run.
The inning continued, with Maisen Bonds and Royal Jenkins hitting back-to-back one-out singles. Two runs scored on Jenkins’ hit to put Union up 3-0.
Two more runs were put on the board in the inning when Luke Alvarez hit a two-out triple.
Rafe Alvarez and Easton Box each drove in a run to put Union up 7-2, while a three-run fifth featured a two-run, two-out triple by Lawson Roddenberry and a run scored on an error.
Jenkins, Roddenberry and Luke Alvarez each finished with two RBI. Alvarez and Roddenberry each batted 2 for 3, as did Cohen and Vickery.
Box, Vickery and Rafe Alvarez each drove in one run.
Starting pitcher Rafe Alvarez gave up two runs, seven hits and no walks in four innings. He struck out two.
Union’s run to the championship began with an 11-4 win over Lake City on June 5.
Vickery, Luke Alvarez and Daylen Klein each had an RBI as part of a three-run first. Lake City tied the score with three runs in the top of the third, but Union answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Singles by Klein and Luke Alvarez and a walk to John Carter Hunt loaded the bases. After a force play at home, Jenkins drove in a run with a single. After Box walked to load the bases again, Hunt scored on a passed ball. Jenkins then scored on a steal of home to put Union up 6-3.
It was 7-3 before Union pushed its final four runs across in the fifth. Vickery walked, stole second and third and the scored on a passed ball. Jenkins walked and moved to second on a wild pitch. After Box was hit by a pitch, Jenkins stole third and then scored on a steal of home. A two-out error allowed Ryder Odom to reach and a run to score. Odom would score the last run on a steal of home.
Jenkins, Klein, Vickery and Luke Alvarez each had one RBI, with Klein batting 2 for 2 and Alvarez going 2 for 3.
Jayden Alexander pitched two innings, giving up three runs (two earned) and two hits, while striking out two. Box allowed no runs, three hits and no walks in three innings, striking out two.
Vickery threw the final inning, giving up one unearned run and no hits, while striking out two.
Union fell behind 8-1 in its second game — also played on June 5 — but eventually defeated Suwannee 13-8.
After cutting into the deficit with a two-run second, Union pushed 10 runs across in the fifth. Rafe Alvarez drew a leadoff walk. Hunt and Vickery each singled, with Vickery’s hit scoring a run. Box walked to load the bases before Alexander was hit by a pitch to force a run in. Bonds then cleared the bases with a three-run double, tying the score at 8-8.
The inning continued, with Bonds driving in a run on a ground out and Alexander scoring on a passed ball. Rafe Alvarez added an RBI single before Vickery hit a two-run double to complete the game’s scoring.
Vickery batted 3 for 4. He and Bonds each drove in three runs.
Hunt also batted 3 for 4, while Roddenberry went 2 for 3 with an RBI.
Alexander, Luke Alvarez and Rafe Alvarez each finished with one RBI.
Rafe Alvarez pitched the final four innings, giving up no runs, four hits and no walks, while striking out three.
Union had a six-run fourth inning in defeating Madison 6-5 on June 6.
With his team down 2-0, Klein hit a single, advanced to second on an error and then moved to third on a passed ball. He scored on a Luke Alvarez single. Union later had the bases loaded when Box hit a two-run double, putting his team up 3-2. Alexander followed with a two-run single and then later scored the team’s final run on a passed ball.
Madison scored two runs in the sixth to make it a one-run game. With two on with two outs, pitcher Alexander recorded a strikeout on a 2-2 count to end the game.
Box and Alexander each finished with two RBI, while Luke Alvarez had one.
Cohen batted 2 for 3.
