TOPSHAM

The Highland Green American Legion Zone 2 baseball team split a pair of games over the weekend.

In game one, a 6-4 setback to Locke Mills, Kaileb Hawkes and Hunter Lohr combined for three strikeouts and five walks on the mound.

Both teams notched one run in the sixth inning, with Highland Green grabbing three in the second and Locke Mills exploding for five in the first. Cam Cox tallied two hits (single, double) for Highland Green, while Jake O’Neill, Hawkes and Andrew Kapocius each had one hit.

Caleb Clarke, Chase Harkins and Phil Mills each had two hits for Locke Mills.

In game two of the doubleheader, Highland Green bounced back with a 3-1 win.

O’Neill and Harper Moutal took care of things on the mound, combining for five strikeouts, four hits and just two walks. Harkin went the distance for Locke Mills

Cox again had two hits, with Kapocius, Alex Larson, Kyle Brennan and Lohr each tacking on a base-knock of their own.

Locke Mills took a 1-0 lead in the third inning before Highland Green scored all three of its runs and took the lead for good in the fifth.

Tuesday

The tying and winning runs scored in controversial fashion as Highland Green came from behind for a 4-3 win over Franklin County (1-10) at Mt. Ararat High School.

Trailing 3-0 in the sixth, two runs scored on a bases-loaded throwing error to get the hosts to within a run. With the bases loaded again, Kyle Brennan lifted a fly ball to the outfield.

“The ball looked like it dropped, so the runners were in motion, but the umpire called it a catch and the throw to first base doubled off Nick Merrill,” said Highland Green (4-8) coach Bob Neron.

However, in the confusion of the play, Neron kept his runners moving, with two runs scoring for a 4-3 lead.

Alex Larson was solid on the mound, going the distance on five hits, two walks and eight strikeouts for the win. Colton Lawrence was solid for Franklin County on 10 strikeouts, four hits and four walks.