Spartans drop opener to Hagerstown

The Connersville Spartans’ baseball team opened the season with a loss to Hagerstown on Tuesday evening.

The Spartans took an early lead with Gavin Pearson drawing a walk and Brayden Lykins knocking him in, giving CHS a 1-0 lead. The score remained 1-0 until the Tigers opened the third inning with a solo shot tying the game. They added two more runs in the fourth frame and the Spartans came up to bat down 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning and added four runs to their tally with Braxton Myers and Brayden Pearson each picking up RBIs; G.Pearson, Chance Bentley, Lykin, and Myers all scored in the inning, giving CHS a 5-3 lead.

Lykins started the game on the mound for Connersville and finished after four innings with four strikeouts, while walking three and allowing five hits. Myers took the mound and pitched a scoreless fifth inning for the Spartans, then the Hagerstown bats came alive in the sixth inning. Myers walked two and gave up five hits as the Tigers added five runs in the inning. Bentley pitched the final inning for CHS and allowed two runs, one unearned. The 10-5 loss starts Connersville at 0-1 on the year.

The Spartans – defending sectional champions – will look to rebound from the loss on Monday when they face off against the defending EIAC champion Batesville Bulldogs.