Evans overcame an early deficit to beat Winder-Barrow 13-6, and in the nightcap, Lakeside overwhelmed Burke County 11-0.
Evans (2-1) looked like it was in trouble early as the Bulldogs scored five runs in the first three innings, with starting pitcher Blake Marbut (0-1) yet to allow a hit. Marbut quickly retired the first two batters in the third, but he didn’t make it out of the inning as the Knights bats came alive, scoring seven two-out runs.
“We were looking for a big inning, we really were,” said freshman catcher Matt Anderson, who went 2 for 4 with three RBI, including a two-run double in the rally.
The inning made a winner of Josh Roye (1-0), who gave up three runs on three hits in three innings after coming on in relief for starter Will Crow in the third.
Crow ignited the third-inning rally with a single, the first of seven-consecutive hits.
“Once one fell, everyone started to feed off it.” Knights coach Ricky Beale said.
Garrett Wilkerson went 2 for 4 and scored two runs and Jordan Rice was 2 for 3 and scored three runs.
Lakeside had no trouble from the start, jumping all over Burke County starter Bobby Gay, scoring four first- inning runs on four hits.
Staked to the big lead, junior Lane Wallace (1-0) found the zone, recording six strikeouts while allowing three hits in five innings.
“I just came out and pounded the strike zone and did the best I could,” Wallace said. “It wasn’t anything special.”
The Panthers (2-1) added two runs in the third, one in the fourth and ended the game early with four fifth-inning runs.
Tanner Brassell went 2 for 2 with two RBI, Tanner Durand had three RBI and Zach Hornsby was 3 for 4 for Lakeside.
