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Jackson homer fuels Clays comeback

Blue Devils 7 | Bears 6

By Randy Lefko
Posted 3/14/18

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A three run homer by Kevin Jackson in the fifth inning ignited a Clay High comeback that saw the Blue Devils take an 7-6 win over 7A-Bartram Trail on Thurs., March 8 at Clay …

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Jackson homer fuels Clays comeback

Blue Devils 7 | Bears 6


Posted

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A three run homer by Kevin Jackson in the fifth inning ignited a Clay High comeback that saw the Blue Devils take an 7-6 win over 7A-Bartram Trail on Thurs., March 8 at Clay High School. Clay, with a 2-0 win over Oakleaf High on Friday, moves to 5-3 overall.

Against Bartram Trail, Clay fell behind 6-0 into the top of the fifth with the Bears scoring four runs in the fifth off walks from starting pitcher Dylan Faulkner and an untimely bounce off Faulkner’s ankle of a hard grounder. Bartram Trail had loaded the bases off two walks and a single over second base to set up the scoring barrage.

Bartram Trail scored first in the second off a rule double with two baserunners as centerfielder Jacob Owens could not retrieve a hard hit that went under the centerfield fence.

In the fifth, down 6-0, Clay opened with a flyout to Andy Yarbrough followed by a walk to Faulkner and a single to Owens to set up Jackson’s left field bomb.

A nifty double play in the Bears ups with a Bears bunt going from

Spence, now the pitcher for Faulkner, to Yarbrough who was attentive to Bears baserunner Tyler Baureis at first who

ventured off the base on the bunt attempt. The Bears kept the offense in tact with a single, but Clay catcher Chase Holman gunned down a steal attempt to close the inning.

In the sixth, with Connor Solomon opening with a strikeout, Clay got a single from Spence and a walk to Andy Yarbrough to set up a two-run triple from Faulkner to close the gap to 6-5. Faulkner would score on a passed ball to tie the game at 6-6.

In the seventh, an error on a Holman grounder put a baserunner in play for a winning run. Solomon would hit a fielder’s choice grounder to get Holman out at second before Spence strikes out swinging to leave Solomon on base.

Yarbrough replaced Spence on the mound and Bartram Trail pounced with two singles, but Yarbround got a strike out and Holman got a second great play at home on a Bears’ baserunner to end the inning.

In the eighth, two consecutive errors put Josh Lemen and Yarbrough on base to set up Faulkner’s line drive to score pinch runner Eric Predmore for the 7-6 win.

Against Oakleaf, a Jackson double in the second inning scored Faulkner for the 2-0 win. Clay loaded the bases with Solomon getting hit by a pitch from Knights’ pitcher Blain Jones, then Faulkner singling a bunt to third and Yarbrough pushing a sacrifice bunt to put Solomon at third and Faulkner at second. Morris walked to load the bases and set up an Owens sacrifice fly to score Solomon. Solomon whiffed 13 batters for Clay with just two hits and one walk.

Tues., March 13 vs. Belleview; Thurs., March 15 at Columbia; Mon., March 19 at Yulee