By Eric R. Wallace
COVINGTON - On Wednesday, Eastside squared off with Loganville in a region skirmish that eventually led the Eagles to another mercy loss, 13-1, at Eagle Field.
The Red Devils (12-3 overall, 10-3 Region 8-AAAA, Sub-region B) have owned the Eagles this season, having scored 22 runs while giving up just one in the two times they have met.
"It was the same M.O. - the same thing that has happened to us game in and game out," said Eastside coach Michael Poor. "I'm not going to blame any of this on youth.
"We've just got to make up our minds that we must concentrate when we're out there," he added.
Loganville opened the scoring when Blake McCullers led off the first inning with a double to left field. The next batter walked before Luke Baker singled to left, scoring McCullers to give Loganville a 1-0 advantage.
But Eastside battled, playing the Red Devils close early on. The Eagles got their only run of the game after a passed ball, which tied it at one apiece.
Jared Trust singled to left and then proceeded to steal second. Jake Casteel followed with a perfectly executed bunt to move the runner to third.
Eastside's Kyle Durand walked to load the bases with one out, and Trust eventually scored on the miscueby the Red Devils.
However, Loganville broke the game wide open in the third inning by scoring five runs after McCullers (3-for-3) singled to the left-center gap to start things off. Baker followed by hitting into a 6-5 force out after Drew Smith walked.
Loganville's Chris Lew then stepped to the plate, driving a single deep to left, bringing a run across. Chance Bridges followed with an RBI single to center field.
And the scoring didn't stop there.
Brandon Cruce hit a single to the gap in left-center to plate two more runs, giving the Red Devils a 5-1 cushion.
"I'm proud of the way the guys were swinging the bat," said Loganville coach Jeff Segars.
The Eagles' bats went dormant while Loganville continued its onslaught.
The Red Devils scored eight runs between the fourth and sixth inning, causing the umpires to invoke the mercy rule to end the contest.
Overall, Loganville amassed 13 runs on 12 hits while committing zero errors in the field.
On the other hand, Eastside managed just three hits and four errors.
Entering today, Loganville sits in third place in the region standings just behind Heritage and Salem.
Meanwhile, the young Eagles (4-11, 4-9) are sitting in ninth place out of a field of 13 teams.
Eastside will next host Cedar Shoals at 5:30 p.m. today.