Down 10-5 midway through the fifth inning, Harlan County scored one run in the fifth and five in the sixth to edge visiting East Ridge on Saturday to extend their win streak to three.
Tristan Cooper, the fourth HCHS pitcher of the day, threw two hitless to earn his fourth win in five decisions. He struck out two and walked one.
Braydon Burton opened the sixth inning by being hit by a pitch. Isaac Kelly followed with a single. Burton was caught in a rundown after East Ridge pitcher Kolin Blackburn ran at Kelly when he headed for second base. Burton slipped under the tag at home for the first run of the inning. Cooper was hit by a pitch before Brayden Blakley brought in another run with a sacrifice fly. Will Cassim singled and Jonah Swanner was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. Alex Creech singled home one run and Aiden Craig tied the game with his ground out. Swanner broke from third in an attempt to steal home, but Blackburn was called for a balk that allowed Swanner to score.
East Ridge threatened in the seventh and had two runners on base when Landon Robinson hit a ground ball to Blakley at short, who threw to Creech at second for one out. Gabe Mullins tried to come around to score on the play but Creech threw home to Kelly for the final out.
Swanner led the HCHS offense with two singles. Blakley added a double. Kelly, Creech, Cassim, Craig and Burton contributed singles.
Hayden Robinette led the 5-14 Warriors with three singles. Robinson had a double and single. Burdine added a triple. Blackburn, Steven Layne, Braxton Kendrick and Brady Miller added singles.
Karsten Dixon started on the mound for Harlan County and gave up five runs on six hits, with two strikeouts and one walk, in three innings. Tyler Lunsford gave up four runs on two hits, with one strikeout and two walks, in one inning. Blakley allowed one run on two hits, with two strikeouts and no walks, in one inning.
Kendrick started for the Warriors and allowed four runs on four walks in one-third of an inning. Black burns allowed seven runs on seven hits in five innings. Robinson recorded the final two outs.
“The boys battled today. They faced some adversity,” Harlan County coach Scotty Bailey said. “The spot we got ourselves into, I wanted to see what we was made of. We had some errors and, overall, just mental mistakes that costed us some runs. I told them now we’ll see what you’re made of, and they accepted the challenge. They battled, found ways to get on base, stole some bases, got some hits. I was proud of how they finished. It was a good game to see some guys step up and be leaders.”
The 8-6 Bears travel to Harlan on Monday and play host to the Dragons on Tuesday.
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East Ridge 104 320 0 — 10. 10. 2
Harlan County 500 015 x — 11. 8. 2
Kendrick, Blackburn (1), Robinson (6) and Robinette; Dixon, Lunsford (4), Blakley (6), Cooper (7) and Kelly. WP — Cooper (4-1). LP — Blackburn.