After beginning the season with five straight wins, the Harlan County Black Bears will take a six-game losing streak into the opening of district play Monday after losing three games in Atlanta during spring break.
Harlan County gave up six unearned runs in a 9-3 loss to Highlands. Brayden Blakley gave up eight runs (two earned) on six hits in five innings, with six strikeouts and five walks. Karsten Dixon allowed one run on two hits in one inning,.
Isaac Kelly led the HCHS offense with a double and single. Jonah Swanner and Tristan Cooper added one single each.
Braydon Burton, Kelly and Alex Creech each had two hits in a 13-1 loss to Rowan County. Cooper, Kaden Boggs and Will Cassim added one hit each.
Creech gave up runs on 10 hits in five innings on the mound. Tyler Lunsford allowed 10 runs (four earned) on two hits in one inning.
Harlan County had a five-run lead going into the final inning before giving up nine runs in the seventh inning to fall 13-9 to Eaton, Ohio.
Cassim led the Bears with a double and single and two RBI. Blakley also drove in two runs on two singles. Burton and Cooper also had two singles each. Kelly added a double. Aiden Craig and Gunner Burkhart had one single each.
Cooper gave up six runs (four earned) on five hits in six-plus innings, striking out four and walking seven. Dixon allowed seven runs (five earned) on seven hits in one inning,.
The Black Bears will play host to Bell County on Monday and travel to Bell on Tuesday.