Leading since the bottom of the first inning, the Columbus East baseball team surrendered two runs over the sixth and seventh innings to allow East Central to tie the game.
With the leadoff batter on first in the bottom of the seventh, sophomore Dalton Back saved the day. Back hit a walkoff single to complete a 3-2 senior day victory for the Olympians.
Columbus East took control of the game early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second. Julian Greenwell reached base via walk and advanced to third on a double from pitcher Drew Hasson. Two batters latter, Josh Major brought both runners in with a double of his own to give the Olympians the lead.
Hasson put together a strong outing, retiring eight of the first nine batters he faced. Pitching a complete game, Hasson didn’t give up a hit until the sixth inning, while striking out nine.
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“I felt pretty good going out there. The team had a lot of lefty’s in their line up so that can always be a little tricky, but you just got to battle out there,” Hasson said.
After the first inning, neither team was able to get the bats going. The Olympians (14-7) had only two hits from the second through fifth innings.
East Central (9-10) got on board in the sixth, when Columbus East allowed a runner on first by committing its only error of the game. Designated hitter Jake Jennings stepped to the plate next, bringing home the runner on the Trojans’ first hit of the game.
“I have confidence in him out there. He was throwing well and so I’m not going to mess with it there,” Olympians coach Jon Gratz of his decision to stick with Hasson after allowing East Central to score in the sixth.
The Olympians left two runners on base in the sixth, unable to extend their lead. East Central was able to capitalize in the seventh when Zach Bovard drove in starting pitcher Zach Monhollen with a double.
In the bottom of the seventh Columbus East would only need three batters to see the plate to bring home the walk off victory.
“Continue to play good defense and good pitching,” Gratz said to his team on the home stretch of the season. “We have to work at having good at bats. Hitting the ball hard. It’s just the matter of getting hot at the right time.”
