Union Capitalizes With Late Rally Against Sullivan

One rough inning was all it took Wednesday for Union to vault past Sullivan.

The Eagles led 2-0 going into the fifth, but Union scored seven runs — three via an error and all seven with two outs — and cruised past Sullivan 7-3 at Bank of Sullivan Ballpark.

Trevor Kelly put down an Eagles rally in the bottom of the fifth and picked up the victory, going seven innings, striking out five and walking one. 

Garrett Juergens went 5.2 innings for Sullivan. He struck out seven, allowed seven runs (four earned) and walked three.

Josh Wiese collected the final four outs, whiffing two and allowing one hit.

Sullivan jumped on Kelly by plating a run in the first and second inning. Jacob Miller led off the first with a double and advanced to second on a base hit by Austin Frye. JD McReynolds scored Miller on a sacrifice fly, but Frye was tagged out trying to take third.

Juergens walked to lead off the first and Braden Carey was hit by a pitch with one out. Sullivan tried a double steal, but catcher Ronin Straatman threw out Juergens at third. Two pitches later, Jacob Brooks sent a double to left to score Carey for a 2-0 lead.

Kelly singled off Juergens to lead off the third, then Matt Bray walked. Andy Morrow grounded into a double play, which advanced Kelly to third. Isaiah Hoelscher walked, but Caleb Mabe popped out to Brooks to leave two runners on.

Union missed another opportunity in the fourth after a one-out walk to Zeek Koch and an error at shortstop extended the inning. Juergens got Kelly out on a grounder to first.

The Wildcats finally delivered in the fifth.

Hoelscher drew a two-out walk, Made singled to left and Peyton Burke got on with an infield single to load the bases. Juergens walked Koch, which brought in a run then Drew Willingham cleared the bases with a base hit to right. Straatman doubled to center, then Kelly reached on an error to score both runners for a 6-2 lead. Bray doubled on a pop fly to left to drive in Kelly.

Sullivan tried to make the comeback. Brooks reached on an error by Hoelscher at third, Blayten Nolie reached on an infield single to Holescher and with two outs, Frye had an RBI hit to cut the deficit to 7-3. Kelly sidestepped further damage with a fly out.