COVINGTON, Ga. — The Alcovy Tigers could not complete the late comeback in their series opener against the Evan Knights on Tuesday, falling 6-5. 

Alcovy, who entered the final series of the season on a five-game skid, was looking for a turnaround facing a 22-4 Knights squad that sits atop Region 3-AAAAAA. 

Hunter Parker took the mound for the Tigers and Evans got to the sophomore early. 

Lleyton Lackey laced a double and eventually came across home on an error from the Tigers. The Knights scored again on a sacrifice fly from Hunter Thompson to give Evans a 2-0 lead after the opening half-inning.

Evans’ pitcher Riley Akins got into a rhythm early, striking out four of the Tigers batters through the first two innings.

Evans brought one more runner across home plate in the top of the second inning when Cooper Serigney rushed home as Tigers catcher Luke Rosser threw out the runner at first.

Another Alcovy error in the fourth inning allowed Evans to add a run, putting a damper on a solid outing from Parker.

In addition to only two of the four runs being earned, Parker surrendered only six hits and tallied five strikeouts. 

“[Hunter] did well. Not many pitchers have held that lineup in check like that all year,” Alcovy head coach Jimmy Hughes said. “Evans is good, and he found a way to battle and keep us in it.”

After Connor Coursey took over on the mound for Parker in the sixth, the Knights tacked on two more runs on RBI singles from Jackson Cliatt and Matthew Roa.

Facing a 6-0 deficit in the sixth, the Tigers finally got into a rhythm at the plate, as Parker lined the ball up the middle to drive in Alcovy’s first run.

Akins walked the next two Alcovy hitters to load the bases before getting relieved for Austin Weeks.

The Tigers jumped on Weeks immediately as Reece Payne laced the ball into left field for a two-run single.

Going into the bottom of the seventh, Coursey hit a rocket to open the inning that went right to the Evans’ left fielder.

Back-to-back walks afterward allowed freshman Parker Gassmann to deliver an RBI single off the bench.

“[Gassmann] is starting to figure it out,” Hughes said. “He is an energy jolt, too, because the guys rally around him. He is going to be our first baseman going forward. So it is good to see him get quality reps now.”

The Tigers scored one more run on a fielder’s choice groundout, but fell just short of the comeback, losing 6-5. 

Alcovy lost the region doubleheader on Thursday, April 21 on the road at Evans to conclude the regular season.