GRANGER – The Granger Lions got their second win in a row Wednesday, March 22, defeating the Milano Eagles for their fourth district win of the season.
The Lions would come away with a gritty 5-3 to improve their district record, and move themselves into third place.
Having the advantage of batting last, the Lions took full advantage as their defense did their jobs in the top of the first keeping the Eagles scoreless. The Lions started the game by putting a run on the board in the first inning, giving them some early momentum to start the game.
With a 1-0 lead in the second, the Lions copied and pasted what they did in the first inning in the second. The defense, once again, stepped up and kept the Eagles off the scoreboard. They followed that up with an effective offense and added one more to their lead to put the pressure on the Eagles.
With their backs against the wall, the Eagles knew they needed a response and had to break through the Lions’ defense. The Eagles found a groove on offense in the second getting some hits, but no runs. They followed in the third by adding two runs that tied the game up.
With the game knotted at 2-2, the Eagles went out on defense thinking they had the Lions on their heels and were going to swing the momentum in their favor. But, with the advantage of home field, the Lions showed they were not going down that easily.
The Lions bats would stay hot in the third inning as they added three runs to their score to make it a 5-2 ball game heading into the fourth. Every batter contributed to the scoring cause for the Lions with senior Nate Tucker bringing home the most runners for the Lions with two RBIs.
Defensively, the Lions continued to dominate, but then the Eagles’ defense also began to flex its muscles. The Eagles would not allow the Lions to score another run for the rest of the game and kept their hopes of a comeback alive.
Staying within striking distance, the Eagles’ offense could not break through the Lions’ defense until the seventh and final inning. Again, with their backs against the wall the Eagles found themselves in a sink or swim situation.
With the game on the line and two teams thirsting for a win, it set the stage for a great clash in the seventh inning. The Eagles would cut into the Lions lead scoring a quick run in the seventh inning, giving the team a little bit of confidence.
The Lions were equal to the task, and secured the three outs they needed to get the win and send their fans home happy.
Sitting in third place, the Lions looked to improve their district record on the road against rival Thorndale on Friday, March 24.
