BATS COME ALIVE AS BASEBALL SPLITS WITH STERLING

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – On a picturesque day in south Kansas City, Avila baseball's offense finally came alive on Sunday, totaling 16 runs across two games to earn a doubleheader split with Sterling.

In the opening game beginning at 11 AM on the start of Daylight Savings Time, Sterling used the middle innings to nearly blow Avila off the diamond.

The Warriors opened the game with a single run in the first, then put up a six-spot in the fourth inning, five more in the fifth and another in the sixth inning.

Avila scored their first run in the third inning on an RBI double from JJ Dain, but after Sterling's output, the Eagles trailed 13-1 entering the seventh inning.

One out away from the game ending on a run-rule, the Eagles got an RBI from Caden Stillwell.

On what looked to be the game-ended popup, Diego Solis scored on a dropped popup near the mound by the Warrior third baseman to cut the lead to 13-3.

A walk from Will Clark loaded the bases for Aaron Mcleod-Smith. The 6-6 lefty cleared the bases with a three-RBI triple down the right field line to put a cap on Avila's sixth-run seventh inning, making it 13-7 Sterling.

That was all the offense Avila would put up for the remainder of the game as Sterling added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth to defeat Avila, 15-7 in game one of the doubleheader.

The second half of the doubleheader saw plenty of drama, especially late, from the Eagles.

After Stilwell shut the Warriors down on the mound to open the first, a raucous dugout brought plenty of energy for Avila in the bottom half.

Tommy English hit a leadoff homer over the left field fence and, four batters later, Will Clark scored Stillwell on a sac fly to give the Eagles an early 2-0 lead.

Sterling scored one in the top of the second and Avila added three more in the bottom half to grow their lead.

English crossed the plate for the second time after Stillwell scored him on an RBI single to center. Stillwell would then come around to score on an RBI triple from Joey Reichmuth. The next batter, Clark, scored Reichmuth on an error from the Sterling shortstop.

After two innings, Avila held a 5-1 lead.

Mcleod-Smith drove in his fourth total run of the day in the third inning on an RBI double to right field for the sixth Avila run of the afternoon.

Sterling put up five in the top half of the fourth inning to tie the game before Avila went scoreless in the bottom half.

The Warriors took the lead again in the fifth, but the Eagles tied it back up in the bottom half off an RBI single from English.

Another run from Sterling in the sixth gave the Warriors an 8-7 lead entering the bottom of the sixth inning before the Eagles had its most dramatic moment of the season.

A leadoff single from Stillwell got Avila off to the start it needed.

Gabe Maxwell, Stillwell's courtesy runner, advanced to second after a groundout from Reichmuth. With two outs, in stepped Avila's junior centerfielder, JJ Stubblefield.

Down to one of their final opportunities of the day, Stubblefield sent a ball over the left field fence, scoring two and putting the Eagles back on top, 9-8.

Looking to close the game out, Jorden Rugg had to face the top of the Warrior lineup in the seventh.

Rugg walked the leadoff hitter, struck out the No. 2 batter and got Sterling's No. 3 hitter to bounce into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game and end Avila's losing streak, giving the Eagles a well-earned 9-8 win. 

Avila has more games this week, first with two non-conference battles with William Penn beginning at noon on Monday from The Z.

 (photo credit: Rhett Rogers)