Devils win two on the week; playoff hopes are on the line
By DAVID LEE

It is crunch time for the Red Devils baseball team. The group entered this past week with two region games, one being a must-win. They were able to come out on top in that one against Glascock County, but failed to overtake Aquinas. The Devils are now right in the middle of the race for a playoff spot.

Lincoln County hit the road for the game against Glascock on Tuesday, needing a win to stay alive in the region. They struck early with five runs in the second inning on a three-run double by Larry Reeb and RBI's by Josh Hollimon and Steven Morris. However, three errors led to three runs in the home half of the second for Glascock. The Devils added a run on an error in the third, which proved to be key after a three-run fourth inning by Glascock knocked starter David Lee out of the game and tied the score at six.

The Devils fought back, regaining the lead in the fifth on an error. They broke it open in the sixth, scoring three runs on a two-run double by Austin Goldman and an error that brought home another. Goldman shut down Glascock's offense for the remainder of the game, giving Lincoln County the much-needed win.

The Devils hosted McCormick on Wednesday for a non-region game, giving the younger players a chance to take the field. McCormick jumped to an early four-run lead, but the Devils fought back and broke it open with a seven-run second inning. They kept piling it on until the game was called in the fifth inning, giving Lincoln County the 16-6 win. Goldman led the onslaught with four RBI's.

Friday's showdown with Aquinas was important for both teams. The Irish were looking to preserve their perfect region record, and the Devils were looking to knock off the top team while gaining ground in the region. Aquinas struck early with three runs in the first inning off starter Dalton Tankersley.

They added two more in the second for a quick five-run lead. But Tankersley and the defense settled down and held the Irish at five, giving the offense a chance to make a comeback. However, the Devils were kept off balance the entire game by the Aquinas starter, only reaching base twice by hits for six innings. They attempted a rally in the seventh by putting two on, but were not able to take advantage of it. The Devils dropped a tight game by the score of 5-0.

Lincoln County now faces the first of a two-week stretch of very important games. The final three region games will determine their playoff hopes, with the first coming at home Thursday against GMC. The Devils also have two non-region games before then, facing Harlem and Washington Wilkes early in the week.