Eastside continues to pour it on, this time racking up 13 hits and stealing eight bases in a 14-4 win over Johnson, Gainesville Wednesday.
The home victory was the second straight over the Knights and ninth straight overall for the Eagles (16-1, 8-0 8-AAAA), who are outscoring opponents 147-57.
The game started out well enough for the Eagles as southpaw Peyton Pallay struck out the side in the opening frame. In the home half of the first, Musashi Briem put Eastside on the board by plating Pallay who had walked earlier.
The second inning did not go so smoothly for the Eagles as the Knights sent nine men to the plate. Pallay issued a pair of walks to start the inning followed by a double, allowing Johnson, Gainesville to score its first run. A base hit and a couple of errors allowed the Knights to take a 4-1 lead at the midpoint of the inning. The Eagles answered right back with a single by Hank Steele, a double by Pallay and another single by Briem to tie it at four.
In the third, Pallay regained his focus and continued it for the duration, facing the minimum each inning and not allowing a hit. Pallay gave up two hits and two walks while striking out 11.
The Eastside offense continued to work as the rain began to fall. Steele again reached on a single, stole second and then third base before being driven in by Evan House who reached on error after a scary collision on the first base line that halted play for several minutes and forced the Knight’s pitcher from the game. House also scored in the inning after stealing second and being driven in as Cody Walker reached on error.
A scoreless fourth was followed by a big fifth inning for the Eagles. This time Nick Womack was the spark with a leadoff single, scoring moments later as Steele’s double hit off the top of the center field wall. A walk and an error put another pair of Eagles on base followed by back-to-back doubles by Hunter Ballard and Drew Buckhault to end the inning with the Eagles in front by a score of 11-4.
With the rain now a steady downpour, the Eagles were looking to end the game early just to get out of the weather. Womack again led off, this time with a double down the left field line. Hank Steele remained perfect on the night going 4 for 4 as he also doubled down the line.
A walk to House set the table for Pallay to drive in the final two runs on a double to the gap as the game ended courtesy of the mercy rule.
Eastside will enjoy the remainder of its spring break before resuming play Monday against Jackson and then a two-game series with Lanier.
