VERONA, Mo. — College Heights Christian ballooned a one-run lead by scoring a combined seven runs in the third and fourth innings on the way to a 9-5 win over Verona on Thursday.
After Ben Thomas singled home a run in the top of the first to put the Cougars (4-5) in front, College Heights touched home five times in the third inning to take all of the momentum. Josh Allen had an RBI double to left before Thomas singled to center in the next at-bat for his second RBI of the game. Nate Williams and Bo Sitton wrapped the scoring with consecutive RBI singles with two outs to extend the CHC advantage to 6-0.
The lead moved to eight after Ethan Coggeshell and Nick Breggman scored on a Verona error in the fourth.
After Verona scored on a Cougars’ error in the last of the fifth, Thomas drove in another run with an RBI groundout in the top of the sixth to make the score 9-1.
The Wildcats scored four times in the bottom of the six to cut the lead to 9-5, but drew no closer to completing the comeback. Alex Campbell had a two-run double to left and Noah Freiburger drove in a run with a two-out single through the left side to highlight the inning..
Breggman earned the win after allowing one run on five hits, seven walks and five strikeouts in five innings of work. Thomas allowed four unearned runs on two hits, two walks and a strikeout in two relief innings.
Dillin Shrum took the loss after allowing eight runs, six earned, on eight hits, four walks and four strikeouts.
Allen led the Cougars at the plate with three hits, including a double, an RBI and a run scored. Thomas had two hits, scored a run and drove in a game-high three runs. Sitting finished with one hit and two RBI. Breggman had a hit, walked and scored three runs.
Campbell had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored for Verona, while Freiburger had three hits and drove in one.
College Heights is at Lockwood Monday.
