After Lake beat Union 8-5 on Tuesday, the two teams met on Thursday with a division championship on the line.
The game lived up to its billing as Union took an 8-7 come-from-behind win to claim the Division 6-2A championship on Friday.
Union improves to 14-10 on the season and will begin the Class 2A playoffs this week. Lake finishes the season 19-3 on the season and is second in the division. Playoff opponents had not been determined at press time.
Union 8, Lake 7
The Yellowjackets scored three runs late and held on to take a one-run win over the Hornets and win the Division 6-2A division title.
Lake scored three in the first and one in the second and led 4-0. But Union answered with two in the second to cut the lead to 4-2. Lake added a single run in the top of the fourth before Union answered with three runs in the fourth to tie the game at 5-5. Lake scored two runs in the top of the sixth to take a 7-5 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Jaylon Buckley led off the inning with a single and Peyton Posey was hit by a pitch. Rope Lovern then sacrificed both runners. Henry Thornton was then hit by a pitch to load the bases. Preston Germany hit into a fielders choice that scored Buckley and Posey to tie the game at 7-7 with two outs. Jacob Moore then singled to right and Germany moved to third. Germany then scored on a passed ball to give the Hornets an 8-7 lead.
Union outhit Lake 11-4 in the contest. Buckley was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs while Kaleb Casey was 3-for-4. Lovern singled and drove in two runs while Germany singled, scored twice and had two RBIs.
Buckley started and pitched five innings, giving up seven runs, only one earned on four hits and seven walks while striking out eight. Henry Thornton pitched the last two innings and struck out three to pick up the win.
Kel Harrison was 3-for-3 with two RBIs for Lake while Brady McGee singled and scored twice.
McGees started and pitched four innings, giving up five hits on seven walks and four hits while striking out six. Ben Moore pitched the last two innings and gave up three runs on four his while striking out two.
Lake 8, Union 5
The Hornets scored the last four runs of the game and took a three-run win over the Yellowjackets on Tuesday to set up the winner-take-all contest on Friday.
Union scored one in the top of the first but Lake answered with two in the bottom of the frame. Lake added single runs in the second and third while Union scored three in the top of the third to tie the game at 4-4. Union took a brief lead with a run in the fourth while Lake scored three in the fifth and one in the sixth.
Union outhit Lake 8-6 in the contest. Rope Lovern was 2-for-4 with a double and three rBIs while Peyton Posey walked twice and scored twice. Kolton Cockerham striped and scored a run. Henry Thornton and Jacob Moore each had RBI singles in the contest while Zack Carnell and Judd Young each singled.
Thornton started and pitched 2/3 of an inning and gave up two runs on one run and three hits while striking out two. Preston Germany pitched 5 1/3 innings and gave up six runs on five hits and seven walks while striking out five.
Kel Harrison was 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored while Kenny Ray Hanna was 2-for-2 with two doubles and three RBIs. Brady McGee walked twice and scored three runs. Seth McGee also doubled and drove in a run for the Hornets.
Jacob Lanier started and pitched five innings, giving up five runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out six. Brady McGee pitched the last two innings in relief and struck out six while walking two.
Union 14, Newton 3
The Yellowjackets finished with 12 runs in the last two innings to take a five-inning, run-rule win over the Tigers on Monday.
Each team scored two runs in the first inning and Newton took a 3-2 lead with a single run in the third. Union then scored seven runs in the fourth and five in the fifth to take the win.
Union outhit Newton 9-2 in the contest. Peyton Posey was 3-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases, two runs scored and three RBIs. Preston Germany was 2-for-2 with two runs scored while Henry Thornton singled and scored. Kolton Cockerham doubled and scored twice while Jacob Moore also scored two runs.
Zack Carnell started and pitched all five innings, giving up three unearned runs on two hits and four walks while striking out seven.
Lake 20, Newton 1
The Hornets scored 12 runs in the first period and eight in the third to take a three-inning, run-rule win over the Tigers on Thursday.
Lake only had four hits but drew 20 walks in the contest. Brady McGee singled, walked twice, scored three times and had three RBIs. Kel Harrison had four walks and scored three runs. Aiden Aldord was the only multiple hitter, going 2-for-3 with two runs scored and four RBIs. Easton Tune, Jalen Gray and Jacob Lanier all scored two runs while Gage Lee singled and had two RBIs.
Noah Thornton started on the mound and gave up one run on three hits while striking out three. East Tune pitched the last inning for the Hornets.
