South Park handed Avonworth Varsity Baseball its first section loss of the season Monday night, as the host Eagles recovered from a big early inning and held off a furious Lopes comeback to prevail 8-7.  That sets up a winner-take-all contest for the section title between the teams Tuesday at Avonworth at 4:30.

Avonworth struck the first blow in the top of the 2^nd inning when Cooper Scharding deposited a base hit down the right field line to score Michael Libbon and Patrick Bykowski.  Three batters later, Jack Dolan’s bases-loaded double put Avonworth up 5-0.  But South Park pitching tightened up after that, holding Avonworth hitless through the next four innings while chipping away at the lead with 1 run in the bottom of the 2nd and then storming back to tie with 4 runs in the bottom of the third. 

Avonworth got out of trouble with a 6-4-3 double play to end the 3^rd (Declan Ehrin to Libbon to Carson Franc), and held the Eagles at bay until the 6^th, where they picked up 3 runs to take an 8-5 lead heading into the final inning.  The Lopes loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the 7^th, and Case Latore scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Alex Rowe to make it 8-6. Franc’s line drive single scored Dolan to make it 8-7, but the Lopes could get no closer.

The teams left the field tied for first in the section with identical 8-1 section records, and will meet tomorrow at Avonworth to decide the section winner.  First pitch is at 4:30, and Community Day festivities begin at 3:30.