Kuhn’s blast lifts Grangers
Published 2:11 am Thursday, March 14, 2019
By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY
Daily News
THOMASTON – Wesley Kuhn had himself a day.
The LaGrange High senior not only hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, but he also pitched four superb innings in relief to lift his team to a 7-6 road win over Upson-Lee.
LaGrange (5-10) has won two consecutive games for the first time this season, and it will host a doubleheader against Spalding County today, with the first game set for 4:30 p.m.
The Grangers were down by two runs when they came to the plate in the top of the seventh inning.
Will Alford got the rally started with a double, and Mason Green reached on an error to put men on first and third.
Two batters later, Kuhn came to bat with one out, and he launched the ball over the outfield fence with plenty of room to spare for a three-run home run.
“We’ve been waiting to get some big hits,” Branch said. “We’ve been in about every game with a chance.”
Kuhn then set Upson-Lee down in order in the bottom of the seventh to put the finishing touches on the road win.
“Wesley, he did a really good job,” LaGrange coach Donnie Branch said. “That’s the most he’s ever pitched.”
Offensively, Kuhn also led the way with two hits and four RBIs, and he came through with one of the team’s biggest hits of the season with his no-doubter home run.
“It was a bomb,” Branch said. “He’s got a lot of raw power.”
Alford, hitting in the leadoff position, added three hits and an RBI.
Mason Green had a big day as well with two hits and an RBI while doing his usually outstanding job at shortstop.
Branch said that level of performance is nothing new for Green.
“Mason Green’s been really good all year,” Branch said. “He’s kind of an unsung guy. He plays good every day. I feel real good about putting his name down in the lineup every day. He puts it in play and gives us a chance.”
Walton Lanier had a hit and an RBI, Cole Sanders and Will Flowers each had a hit, and Charles Crawford walked and scored a run.
Upson-Lee had the upper-hand in the early going.
After scoring three runs in the first inning, the Knights added two runs in the bottom of the third to go up 5-1.
The Grangers got within one with three runs in the top of the fourth, and the Knights pushed a run across in the bottom of the inning to go up 6-4.
That’s the way it remained until Kuhn’s three-run blast.
“It was a game with hardly any mistakes,” Branch said. “It was pitching, and hitting, and guys making plays.”