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Rebels get one back against pesky Eagles

Crestview’s Peyton Wolfe throws to first as United’s Kyle Bailey slides into second on Tuesday. (Salem News/Chris Rambo)

HANOVERTON — The Crestview baseball team entered Tuesday’s game with United no longer in control of its chance for a conference title, but the Rebels were determined not to dwell on what might have been.

After being knocked out of first place by an upset loss to the Eagles on Monday, Crestview took care of business and closed Inter-Tri County League Red Division play with a 6-2 victory. The Rebels are now 9-7 overall and finish 6-2 in the ITCL Red. They are one game back of South Range, which wraps up its conference schedule with two games against United next week.

“We just had to come and play baseball,” Crestview coach Dan Hill said. “The situation is what it is. We need help, but we had to take care of business tonoght to give ourselves an opportunity. We made a mistake last night. Hats off to United for beating us, but we had to put it behind us and get back to our winning ways.”

Right-hander Tyler Hurd helped the Rebels get back on track with a complete game. The only serious trouble he encountered came in the fifth when Kyle Bailey scored on a wild pitch and Jared Delvichio came through with an RBI single to cut the Crestview lead to 6-2. Hurd escaped the jam when he got number-three hitter Parker Hydrick to ground into a force out with runners at first and second and two outs.

“Last night was a tough loss, but we came out here with clear minds and battled to get the win,” Hurd said. “We did what we needed to do. My fielders did a good job of backing me up out there tonight.”

Hurd finished with two strikeouts, two walks and induced 13 groundouts.

“Tyler was very consistent out there tonight,” Hill said. “He didn’t let things get to him when we made mistakes behind him. He did a good job of pitching from ahead.”

The Crestview bats came alive the second and third times through the order, as the Rebels produced three in the fourth and three more in the fifth to give Hurd a 6-0 lead.

Second baseman Peyton Wolfe got the Rebels on the board with a two-run single in the fourth. Two batters later, Dylan Huff hustled down the line for an infield single to bring home another run. An RBI single by Hurd in the fifth and a United throwing error stretched the margin to six.

“We were taking better at-bats tonight; our approach at the plate was much better,” Hurd said.

Hill noted that the Rebels, as a whole, seemed much more relaxed at the plate.

“I probably over-coached a little bit last night instead of letting them relax and be baseball players,” Hill said. “Instead of just playing, guys were over-thinking at the plate and you can’t do that. We tried to take the handcuffs off the kids a little bit.”

United falls to 5-7, 1-4. After a tough start to the season, United coach Bob Manfull sees his team’s confidence growing as the year progresses.

“Last night, it seemed like everything we hit fell in. Tonight, not so much,” Manfull said. “But we’re getting better. Beating them last night helped our confidence a lot heading into the last part of the season. Even after losing tonight, their heads are still up. They’re working hard to improve.”

Crestview is back in action today at Jackson-Milton, while United visits Salem for a 7 p.m. start.

Game notes

¯Tuesday was the Crestview baseball team’s last conference game as a member of the ITCL. The conference’s breakup will force the Rebels to play as an independent next year.

“Our primary motivation was just to win the league, the other stuff wasn’t important to us,” Hill said.

¯Manfull estimated that Monday’s win was the first time the Eagles had beaten Crestview in at least four years.

“We haven’t had a big win like that for a long time,” Manfull said.

C: 0-0-0-3-3-0-0–6-11-3

U: 0-0-0-0-2-0-0–2-5-2

C–Tyler Hurd, wp, (7IP, 2K, 2BB) and Isaac Ricketts.

U–Kyle Bailey (6 2/3 IP, 5K, 3BB), Ethan Antram (1/3 IP, 0K, 0BB) and Parker Hydrick.

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