Hooper hurls Western’s 10-4 win at Triton

Sophomore Zack Hooper pitched a complete game and Julian Barnes got Western Harnett started offensively with a second-inning solo home run to left as the Eagles took a 10-4 Tri-County Six 3-A Conference varsity baseball win at Triton on Friday night.

Western improved to 3-6 overall and 3-2 in league play going into a home game with the Hawks (3-7, 1-5) on Saturday (May 29) at 7 p.m.

The Eagles added three runs in the third after a leadoff walk to Tristan Ung as Jason Barnes, Pat McGrath, Julian Barnes and Cole Nehring (double) had hits.

Triton got on the board in the third after Ira Matthews reached on an infield hit and advanced on a single by Riley Colville. He scored on a fielder’s choice by Xander Johnson.

Julian Barnes, Nehring and Carl Collins had RBIs as Western extended its lead to 8-1 in the fourth. Three hit batters helped push the lead to 9-1 before the Hawks got out of the sixth with a double play.

Payden Crews doubled for the hosts in the sixth and his courtesy runner, Sam Capps, scored on a passed ball.

Nate Jolley doubled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Julian Barnes in the seventh tor a 10-2 Western advantage.

Walks to Anthony Jones and Colville led to a pair of runs for Triton in the seventh. Johnson’s double brought in Jones and Colville scored on a wild pitch.

Hooper allowed five hits, walked three and struck out six.

Nehring went 3-for-4 with four RBIs.

The Hawks are supposed to get center fielder Dylan Smith back tonight from a 2-game suspension for running into the catcher at Southern Lee on May 21. Capps has been limited by a hand injury.