Carter’s grand slam swings tide in West Hancock’s favor in WCC victory over Unity

HAMILTON, Ill. — Brayden Carter gave the West Hancock baseball team the lead for good with one swing.

The Titans scored seven runs in the fifth inning Monday, highlighted by Carter’s grand slam that led to a 7-4 victory over Mendon Unity and West Hancock’s second West Central Conference victory in its last three games.

West Hancock (5-16) trailed 1-0 going to the bottom of the fifth when it loaded the bases as Juris Pohren walked, Layton Conkright singles and Grayson Conkright was hit by a pitch. Pohren scored on a wild pitch as Braxton Scott drew a walk before Carter jumped on the first pitch from the Mustangs’ Adler Gray and drove the home run to left field.

An Alten Lowman groundout plated another run four batters later, and Pohren completed the outburst with a two-out RBI double.

The Mustangs (10-10) mounted a rally in the sixth inning, scoring three times as Avery Frese delivered an RBI single and the other runs scored on a passed ball and an error. However, the comeback ended there as Carter retired the final three batters in the seventh after allowing a leadoff walk.

Grayson Conkright earned the victory, allowing two earned runs over the first six innings with seven strikeouts and four walks. Carter struck out one in the seventh to earn the save. Pohren had two of the Titans’ six hits.

Frese and Miles Moulton had two hits apiece for the Mustangs, who collected seven singles with no extra-base hits. Unity’s Simon Rabe pitched the first four innings, allowing two runs and four hits with four strikeouts.