Bristol Herald Courier | Tim Hayes | Photo Credit: Emily Ball
HONAKER, Va. – Honaker High School’s baseball team struck out 11 times in a season-opening setback to the Union Bears on March 11.
“That first loss,” said sophomore Eli McGlothlin of the Tigers. “It was just a whiff. That’s all that was.”
Honaker has gone from whiffing to walloping in its three games since opening day with McGlothlin doing some serious mashing.
He went 4-for-4 and scored three times on Wednesday night at Harding Field as Honaker hammered out a 9-7 triumph over the Eastside Spartans in a marquee matchup between two of Region 1D’s top teams.
Honaker (3-1) scored seven times in the fifth inning to take the lead for good and responded to Eastside’s five-run outburst in the fourth inning.
“We got really hot there when we needed to and stayed hot the rest of the game,” said Honaker senior Trevor Lester.
Eastside 000 510 1—7 7 2
Honaker 101 070 x—9 11 3
Hamilton, Perry (5) and Ward. M. Nunley, C. Musick (6) and I. Johnson. W – M. Nunley (2-0). L – Hamilton (0-1). S – C. Musick (1). HR – none.