A slightly shorthanded Lamar School baseball team was able to score early and hold onto its lead as the Raiders edged Union High School 10-8 Friday afternoon in the Rush Spring Break Tournament at Q.V. Sykes park.

The Raiders scored four in the first inning, two in the second, one in the third and three in the fourth to capture the two-run win, and head coach Luke Walker said relievers Joseph Hutchinson and Peyton Mayatt did a good job keeping Union at bay late.

“Being spring break, we have some guys out — three everyday starters — so we’ve had to really rely on guys to eat some innings,” Walker said. “Joseph came in with bases loaded and one out and was able to get two strikeouts, and Peyton Mayatt was able to come in and knock out the last two innings.”

Lamar jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the top of the first inning as a fielder’s choice by Will Roberts knocked in Parker Neal and Blake Dearing hit an RBI single. Mayatt and Dearing would later score on wild pitches.

In the bottom of the first, Union cut the lead to 4-3 off an RBI single by JT Vance, who would go on to score on a wild pitch, and an RBI groundout by Jaylon Buckley. Lamar tacked on two more runs in the top of the second when Mayatt hit an RBI groundout and Roberts stole home, making the score 6-3 Lamar.

Another Raider run scored on an error for Lamar in the top of the third to make it 7-3, but the Yellowjackets to within one run in the bottom of the frame when Cameron Sones hit an RBI double and Buckley smashed a two-RBI single.

In the top of the fourth inning, three more Raider runs scored when starting pitcher Adie Goodman hit an RBI single and Mayatt and Chet Williams came home n wild pitches. Union added a run in the bottom half of the inning when Trevor Patchin came home on a passed ball, making it 10-7 Lamar.

The Yellowjackets scored their final run in the bottom of the fifth when Lane Hanna hit an RBI single. Raiders starter Adie Goodman was pulled after getting one out in bottom of the fifth and was replaced by Hutchinson, who struck out the side. Mayatt then pitched the final two innings, surrendering no runs on just three hits, and Walker was especially pleased to see Mayatt back on the mound after battling back from an injury.

“That’s really big for him,” Walker said. “That’s the first time he’s been able to get on the mound since shoulder surgery. It’s really good to see him do well.”

Goodman went 4 1/3 innings, giving up eight runs, five earned, on 11 hits while striking out four and walking one to secure the win. Union starter Austin Tate took the loss, surrendering six runs, four earned, on three hits with two walks. Buckley pitched five innings in relief for Union, giving up four runs, none earned, on four hits. He also struck out four and walked one.

Union head coach Justin Hamrick said he was pleased with his team’s offensive performance, but the defensive miscues — the Yellowjackets finished with four errors — were too much to overcome.

“Offensively, we’ve come alive the last week and a half, but defensively, we played horribly,” Hamrick said. “That’s the thing about it; we lost by two runs and gave them a lot — not to discredit them, because they’re a good team that played really well and executed off our mistakes. They did a good job, but we gave them a lot, and I’m just really unhappy about our defense right now.

“But, we are coming around to play better in other areas. We have a big district week next week with Clarkdale, so we have to put it together.”

Neal finished 2-for-4 for Lamar, while Roberts was 2-for-3. Goodman also went 2-for-4, and Mayatt was 3-for-4. For Union, Vance went 2-for-4, and Casey Morris was a perfect 4-for-4. Buckley finished 2-for-4, and Patchin went 3-for-4.

Lamar fell to 9-3 on the season after losing to Newton County High School 4-0 in the Raiders’ nightcap.

UNION 8, SOUTHEAST LAUDERDALE 5

The Yellowjackets won their Friday opener with Southeast Lauderdale High School off strong pitching by Hanna and Patchin.

Hanna went three innings for Union, giving up five runs, none earned, on five hits with one strikeout and one walk. Patchin went the final four innings, surrendering no runs on two hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

“That was a really big win for us,” Hamrick said. “We jumped out on them out of the game to go up 5-0, then we kind of gave up some (four runs in the second inning), but from then on out we pitched really well. We did some things offensively to get us some more runs. It was just a really good team win, and I”m really proud of the guys for that game.”

Sones led Union offensively, going 3-for-4, and Hanna and Patchin both finished the game 2-for-3.

For Southeast Lauderdale, starter Bennett Massey lasted just 1/3 of an inning, giving up five runs, three earned, on two hits and two walks. Cooper Johnson pitched the final 5 2/3 innings, surrendering there earned runs on eight hits with two strikeouts and one walk.

For the Tigers, Brent Rivers was the only multiple hitter, finishing 2-for-4.

Union (2-8) will play at Morton High School Saturday.