SHINNSTON, W.Va. — Lincoln pushed five runs across the plate in the fourth inning, all scoring with two outs, to take their opening game in the Class AAA Region II tournament, 7-3 over Hampshire.
With the game played in a steady rain on the opening day of the WVSSAC high school baseball playoffs, three Lincoln pitchers combined to hold the Trojans (9-16) to just five hits. Starting pitcher AJ Bart retired ten batters before giving way to Gavin Owens. Owens pitched 2.1 innings in relief. Alex Greene retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the victory for Lincoln (17-14).
Hampshire plated a pair of runs in the first inning after cleanup batter Mark Richman hit a double off the wall in left field. From there, Lincoln would score six unanswered runs. Jaxson Poe’s sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
The Trojans retired the first two batters in the fourth inning before seven consecutive Lincoln batters reached base. Jacob Holt, Colton Edwards and Poe had run-scoring hits in the frame.
The Cougars will travel to face top-seeded Bridgeport Tuesday in a winners bracket contest. Hampshire will host Berkeley Springs Tuesday in an elimination game.