By CURTIS ROCKWELL/Sports Director

LYMAN — Harrison Central came up with its biggest win of the new campaign on the prep baseball field Monday night.

The home-standing Red Rebels slipped past perennial state power East Central 6-5 Monday night. The win moves HCHS to 2-7 on the season, and also snaps a four game losing streak in the process.

The Hornets, meanwhile, who won back-to-back Class 5A state titles in 2022 and 2023, fall to 3-6 on the young season.

Harrison Central, of course, is in the midst of its final season under veteran head coach Neil Frederic who was informed before the season started that his contract would not be renewed.

The Red Rebels scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to take the come-from-behind win. Harrison Central trailed 2-0 early in the game, as well as 5-2 in the middle innings.

“These kids have been through so much,” Frederic said. “We got down, got down by more but continued to chip away as a team. Our pitching staff of Jaxson Moore and M.J. Conner competed through leverage situations and our offense from top to bottom found ways to get on for a much needed win.”

East Central took a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first frame on a two-run single by Matthew Combs.

The home team responded to tie things back up at 2-2 in the bottom of the inning, when Jaxson Moore drew a bases-loaded walk and M.J. Conner got hit by a pitch also with the sacks full.

It was the Hornets’ turn again in the fourth when Christian McFaul singled home a run to break the 2-2 tie and a Red Rebel error on the same play plated another run. McFaul then trotted home on a wild pitch to make it 5-2.

Harrison Central’s second comeback of the contest began in the bottom of the fourth on an RBI-single by Jayden Cooper to make it 5-3.

The Red Rebels then added yet another single run in the fifth frame, on a run-scoring single by Moore, to cut the deficit to 5-4.

The decisive bottom of the seventh stanza started with Tre Hanshaw getting hit by a pitch and stealing second base. Moore, a Belhaven signee, then slapped a game-tying, two-strike RBI-single to tie things up 5-5.

Three batters later, Bubba Harris delivered a one-out, game-winning walk-off run-scoring single to clinch the win.

“Bubba Harris, who has been used mainly as our number two arm this year, came through with the walk-off hit.” Frederic added. “I can see more and more empowering one another on and off the diamond that leads to the belief that we can play our brand of baseball. I’m Proud of them for this victory against one of the best programs in the state in East Central.”

Moore’s two hits and game-high three RBIs led the way for the Red Rebels, while Harris added two hits including a double.

Conner picked up the pitching win with a pair of scoreless innings of relief work. He took over for the starter Moore, who worked the first five frames.

Pacey Baria, the third of three Hornet hurlers, took the loss.

Combs had two hits and two RBIs to pace ECHS at the plate, while McFaul had two hits as well.