The Lakeview baseball team took one more step toward the Region 8-A championship Tuesday afternoon.
The Lions (18-4, 9-0 Region 8-A) exploded for 15 runs to rout region foe Towns County (9-14, 0-10 Region 8-A) in four innings, 15-0.
Lakeview rocked the Indians for nine runs in the bottom of the second inning that started with an error on a Parker Allen grounder to shortstop. The next two at-bats, Holden Cooper walked and KJ Millwood singled to load the bases. Andrew Estes took advantage when he ripped a single to center field, scoring Allen and Cooper.
The next six at-bats drove in runs for the Lions, highlighted by a two-run double by Sam Stewart and an RBI double from Jordan Thomas.
Campbell Melson, Skyler Thellman and Thomas all recorded RBI singles in the inning to help blow up the scoreboard, 11-0 after two innings.
The Lions added four more runs — one in the third and three in the fourth.
Estes and Thellman were 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Melson was 2-for-4 with three RBIs to lead the Lions at the plate. Stewart and Thomas finished the day with two RBIs and one hit.
Ian Echols earned the win, giving up four hits while striking out three in four innings of work.
The Lions will travel to Hebron Christian Academy on Thursday at 4:30 p.m.
HEBRON CHRISTIAN 10,
NORTH HALL 3
North Hall’s pitching performance wasn’t one to write home about – especially in the sixth inning.
Trailing 4-3 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, the Trojans (15-13, 13-5 Region 7-3A) gave up four runs off walks, sixth total drop the non-region game to Class A opponent Hebron Christian Tuesday on the road.
The Lions scored 10 runs over four innings, while North Hall picked one run up in the third and two in the fifth.
FANNIN COUNTY 9,
EAST HALL 1
The Rebels (19-6, 12-4) are one win away from clinching the Region 7-3A championship.
Up by two runs going to the top of the seventh inning, Fannin County touched the plate seven times to blow the game open, 9-0.
East Hall scored its only run in the bottom of the seventh inning when TJ Smith scored off an error at home plate.
The two region foes are scheduled to play a doubleheader at East Hall Friday. First pitch is 5 p.m.
COMMERCE 10,
PROVIDENCE CHRISTIAN 3
The Tigers scored a combined nine runs in two innings to blow the game open and stroll to the win over Providence Christian Tuesday at home.
Colby Rogers started the Tigers’ four-run second inning with a two-RBI double. The Tigers scored four runs in the inning and added five more in the third.
Chase Bridges, TJ Trudnak, Rogers and Kody Mintz drove in runs in the inning.
Providence scratched the zero off the board in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs. The Stars added one more run in the fifth inning.
Tucker Maloch earned the complete-game win allowing three runs off six hits and struck out three.
EAST JACKSON 5,
MONROE AREA 4
Jake Varner scored on an error at first base in the bottom of the seventh to win the Region 8-3A contest and hold on to the No. 4 spot Tuesday at home.
The Eagles led through four innings, 3-2, when Monroe Area scored two runs in the top of the fifth to snag the lead, 4-3.
In the bottom of the six, Josh Compton's fly ball scored G Beck to tie the game, 4-4.
Varner doubled to start the bottom of the seventh inning, then Cole Sealey beat the throw to first on a bunt, moving Varner to the third base. On the next play, he scored the winning run off an error.
East Jackson's Halton Hardy struck out a game-high 12 batters, allowed no earned runs and seven hits in seven innings of work.
The win keeps East Jackson (11-13, 7-10) in contention for the fourth state playoff spot out of the region.
The two are scheduled to play a doubleheader Friday at Monroe Area. Game time is 5 p.m.
WHITE COUNTY 11,
UNION COUNTY 0
A six-run sixth inning ended the game early as the Warriors shutout Union County Tuesday at home.
The Warriors scored four runs in the third, one in the fifth and six in the sixth inning to run-rule the Panthers.
Jake Johnson was 2-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. J Ben Haynes, Riley Norton and Austin Payne all recorded two RBIs for the Warriors. Conner McGuire had one.
McGuire pitched six scoreless innings, allowing eight hits and two strikeouts.
