The Eagles (1-5, 0-1) dropped their third-straight game, falling to Hart County 11-1 on the road Monday.
East Jackson hosts Hart County in a rematch today (Wednesday) at 5:55 p.m.
The game was actually close until late. East Jackson trailed 4-1 heading into the fifth inning when Hart County broke the game open with six runs on four hits, two walks and an error.
"The big inning got us,” East Jackson coach Matt Pruitt said. “They put three across in the second, then put up six in the fifth. We were in a tight ball game until then. I told the guys that we have to learn to find a way to make a big pitch or a big play to stop the bleeding. If you open the door a little for a good team like that, they'll bust it down and come charging through."
Caleb Hardy took the loss, pitching four and one-third innings, giving up nine earned runs on nine hits. He also walked five batters.
"The stats may not show it, but I thought Caleb Hardy pitched his guts out,” Pruitt said. “He really competed out there. He was just a few pitches and a few more defensive plays away from having a great outing."
Jake Grindle worked an inning and one-third in relief, surrendering no earned runs. The game ended with two outs in the bottom of the sixth when Hart County scored its 11th run to bring the mercy rule into effect.
Hardy led East Jackson at the plate, going 1-for-2 with two walks and scoring East Jackson’s only run in the third inning. He singled and scored three batters later after Grindle was hit by a pitch and Ethan Lyons and Josh Valles walked in consecutive plate appearances.
Jake Grindle reached in two of three plate appearances (hit by pitch, walk), as did Josh Valles (walk, single) and Alex Martin (walk, single).
East Jackson stranded its share of runners, leaving nine men on base. That included leaving the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings.
"We have to do a better job of getting runners in,” Pruitt said. “We had plenty of opportunities to score and didn't take advantage of them. One big difference in the game was that they made the best out of their chances with runners on, and we didn't."
