Indians win in extra innings

ECHS BASEBALL

LOCUST GROVE-The East Coweta Indians scored two runs in the top of the eighth inning to defeat the Luella Lions 8-6 in a non-region baseball game played Thursday evening.

The Indians improved to 4-0 on the season as they will travel to Columbus Thursday to face the Northside Patriots.

With the game tied at 6-6 after regulation, Tim Manning reached on a one out single and advanced to third on a single by Cameron Smith before scoring the go ahead run with a steal of home plate while Smith took third on the play.

Smith would score the second run of the inning on a wild pitch with Cole Antmann at the plate who eventually ended the inning on a flyout.

Antmann was the winning pitcher having tossed 2.7 innings of relief allowing one hit and recording five strikeouts in the win.

The Lions (2-4) took the first lead in the bottom of the first inning but the Indians came back with a pair of runs in the top of the second to assume a 2-1 lead.

Jonathan Banks led off with a double and scored on a one out single by Austin Jones who was replaced on the bases by Austin Bellamy who eventually scored on a two-out single by Manning.

After retiring the first batter in the bottom of the second inning, Indians starter Matthew Meyer ran into trouble as the Lions came back with four runs on two hits and an EC error in the frame to take a 5-2 lead.

Meyer was replaced on the mound during the inning by Bellamy who allowed a run in the bottom of the sixth inning before yielding to Antmann.

The Indians cut into the Lions’ lead in the top of the fourth inning as Banks led off with a double and Bryce Gemmel followed with a single.

After Jones was hit by a pitch to load the bases, Jordan Lewis batted for Travis Williams and a wild pitch allowed Banks to score and Gemmel was able to come home on a groundout by Manning that cut the score to 5-4 in favor of Luella.

The Indians took a 6-5 lead in the top of the sixth inning as Gemmel reached on a bunt single and Jones followed with a double.and two outs later Gemmel scored on an error on the infield and McCurry scored after a bases loaded walk to Antman.

The lead didn’t last long as the Lions tied the game at 6-6 on a wild pitch by Bellamy.

In other games, Northgate and Ola will make up their game Thursday afternoon after a postponement on Wednesday due to bad weather while Newnan will play at Carrollton and Trinity will play at the Glenwood School.