The Union Spartans finally hosted the Trask Titans on the baseball field on Monday after rescheduling from Friday due to weather. After a seesaw battle between the teams, the Titans managed to come out with the win in the last inning, 5-4.
The game started at a slow pace. Neither team was able to get on the scoreboard sending the teams tied at 0 into the second inning.
The Spartans got the first run of the night when Dalton Young hit a line drive that was able to get Matthew Ballance back to home plate. Union has the lead at the end of the second inning, 0-1, but that wouldn’t last long.
The Titans came back in the third sending two players around the base. Then when they took the field, they held the Spartans defensively, giving them the lead, 1-2.
Union returned with an increase in defense during the fourth inning quickly sending the Titans out onto the field. Dawson Thornton was then able to run the bases from a hit by Matthew Ballance and errors completed by the Trask team. The teams were tied 2-2 at the end of the fourth.
Trask managed to get a single run in during the fifth inning. The Spartans came back to match that to tie the game back up at 3-3. This was done when Ty Travers hit a double that as a result got Warren Gay back to home plate.
The Spartans fought hard defensively in the sixth inning to hold the Titans to their 3 runs. With a hit from Zach Worley, Matthew Ballance found home plate again to give Union a one-point lead going into the seventh, 3-4.
However, the Spartans were unable to perform as well defensively during the sixth inning, allowing the Titans two runs. With the Titans in the lead and Union at bat, Trask showed their tough defense again getting out all of first 3 of the Spartan batters, taking the win 5-4.
Warren Gay pitched from the first into the seventh inning. He was then relieved during the seventh by Matthew Ballance. Jordan Blackburn also went 1 for 3 with a sacrifice hit.
Union coach Joshua Rackley didn’t really know what to say about the game. “The effort was there, I’m just frustrated and flustered with the outcome tonight.”
The Spartans continue their play at the Dark Horse Baseball Complex to take on Clinton Tuesday, April 26.