Post 22 appeared to be in danger of losing the series opener versus Greenville on Thursday night as it fell behind 6-5 in the fifth. With two outs and the bases loaded, Greenville was looking to pad the lead. Starting pitcher Josh Simpson moved to first base and second baseman, Devontae “Fox” Glenn took the hill and collected out number three.
Union had dodged a bullet but they needed runs.
Jake Walton supplied a leadoff double to get things started for Post 22. Simpson connected on a pitch that the left fielder dropped back to the fence for and pulled down for out number one. Greenville appeared to be rattled from the contact. Bubba Means and Adam Lawson drew back to back walks and after a conference on the pitchers mound, Greenville issued a walk to Nathan Williford to force in the tying run. Dylan Rogers sacrificed to score Means and Union took a 7-6 lead.
Greenville collected its only hit off of Glenn in the eighth inning with a leadoff single. A mishandled bunt resulted in runners on first and second but Means reeled in a fly to left field and Walton turned a double play to escape the inning unscathed.
Glenn and Walton each singled during Union’s portion of the inning and were left on base, but there was nothing doing for Greenville in the ninth and Post 22 captured the first win of the best of five series, 7-6.
Walton doubled to the left-center gap in the top of the first inning to score two runs and reached home himself off a single courtesy of Means.
Recus Hughes was also responsible for two of Union’s runs with a 2-RBI double in the fourth.
Glenn earned the save pitching four and 1/3 innings with two strikeouts and two walks while giving up just one hit.
Union traveled to Greenville on Friday night for game two and will return to Timken Complex on Saturday at 7 p.m. for game three. If a fourth game is necessary, it will be played in Greenville on Sunday.
The Union Junior Legion team was eliminated from its series on Thursday in a 2-1 loss to Greenville.
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