The University Heights Academy Blazers were locked in a tie game heading into the fifth inning of Friday night’s meeting with McLean County, but two errors on either side of two RBI singles led to a 6-run inning and a 12-5 loss. The Blazers have lost their last four on the way to a 5-7 record, while McLean County snaps a three-game losing streak to improve to 2-8 overall.
McLean County took a 2-0 lead in the first, before Blazers’ junior Dan Johnson grounded into a fielder’s choice to bring home junior Drew McGowan. McGowan hit an RBI sacrifice fly in the second to tie the game at 2.
McLean scored twice in the third, with the Blazers getting a run back in their half of the inning on Johnson’s second RBI of the game. In the bottom of the fourth, the Blazers once again evened the game when 8th grader Dustin Moon drove-in a run on a fielder’s choice.
The Cougars broke the game open in their next at-bat, using two Blazer errors and a couple of RBI singles for a 6-run inning to take a 10-4 lead. Both teams put up a run in the sixth inning, before McLean added its final score in the seventh on another Blazer error.
Sophomore Tanner Thomas took the loss for the Blazers, going 4.2 inning and surrendering 9 runs, 2 earned, on seven hits. Thomas struck-out ten and only walked a couple. McGowan led the Blazer offense, smacking two triples and finishing 3-3 with an RBI and a run scored. Johnson had a hit and 2 RBI, and Moon knocked-in a run.
The Blazers have the weekend off, before hosting Christian County (6-8) in an 8th District match-up on Monday. The Blazers are 1-2 in district play and the Colonels are 2-0.