BY BRANDON SPECK
Sports Editor
HAMILTON - Cody Couch's three-run bases-clearing triple in the fourth inning Tuesday night gave Hamilton (13-2, 4-1) an 8-0 lead in a 10-0 win against Division 2-2A opponent Eupora.
Dylan Earnest didn't hurt the Hamilton effort. He allowed only one hit from the mound, striking out nine against only two walks.
The Lions swept the double header, winning game two in similar fashion, 16-3.
Graham Pritchett scored on a wild pitch to end game one with a fifth inning mercy rule.
Hamilton coach Lewis Earnest will take the wins, but would also like to see his team hit the gas a little harder when the opportunity is presented.
"We score five runs in the first inning, then we kind of lay down and quit," said coach Earnest. "We don't drive the nail. When you've got somebody down like that, you've got to stay on them. The positive is, we did end it in five and save some pitches in Dylan's arm."
Devin Hopper's first inning home run helped the Lions to the early lead and Cole Gill's RBI single in the fourth put Hamilton ahead 9-0.
Earnest improved to 4-1 with the win. Caylon Johnson gave up nine runs in four innings in the loss for the Eagles (7-6, 2-4).
"They got on us early," said Eupora coach Lee Berrryhill. "We couldn't get our off-speed stuff going. We don't have a lot of velocity and they got on it. Hitting-wise, Earnest did a good job for them, kept us off-stride and got his off-speed stuff going, especially his curveball."
Isaac Winders stole three bases for the Lions. Crouch finished 2-for-3 with three RBIs and. Dylan Earnest was 2-for-2 with two runs.
Hamilton 16 Eupora 3
Devin Hopper had two home runs and Chase Reeves had another in the game two win. The Lions scored eight runs in the sixth inning. Dylan Earnest had three of the Lions' sixteen hits. Eupora committed five errors.
Hopper's two-run homer led off the sixth inning scoring. Cole Johnson added a two-RBI single.
Reeves finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs and three runs. Hopper drove in three and scored twice.
Isaac Winders, Reeves, Cody Crouch and Austin Earnest had two hits each. Dylan Earnest and Crouch each doubled. Austin Earnest improved to 3-1 with the win. Crouch got the save. Taylor Marlow took the loss for the Eagles. Caylon Johnson had two of Eupora's five hits.





