ROSE HILL – Union’s Spartans rallied for 5 runs in their final two at-bats to defeat West Bladen 7-3 Wednesday night in Four County Conference baseball action.
The Spartans grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but the Knights answered with a run in the third. Freshman catcher Jake Butler drew a walk, and his courtesy runner, Jonathan Ashworth, stole second base. Senior T. J. Guyton knocked in Ashworth with a single.
Knight senior Trent West clobbered a long home run over the leftfield fence in the fourth inning to tie the game 2-2.
The Knights took the lead with a run in the fifth. Butler belted a single, and Guyton knocked in courtesy runner Ashworth with another single.
Senior lefthander Ian Sykes started and pitched into the fifth inning for the Knights. Senior Jarrett Williams relieved and worked a third of an inning, before junior Scott Bowen came on to retire the final 2 batters after Union had scored 3 times to take a 5-3 lead. The Spartans tacked on 2 more runs in the sixth.
Guyton batted 3-4 with a double and 2 runs batted in to lead the Knight hitters. Trent West slugged the solo home run, and Ashworth scored 2 runs. Butler and Williams connected for one hit each.
The loss hampered West Bladen’s chances for the top Class 2A play-off spot from the Four County. The Knights are now 7-3 in league play and 9-7 overall.
West Bladen is seeded fifth in the Robeson County Slugfest and will open play in the tournament Saturday at 7 p.m. at fourth-seeded Fairmont.
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