ATHENS — For the third straight year, the Washington Blue Lion baseball team will be playing for a District Championship. Washington defeated Fairfield Union 8-1 on Monday in the District Semifinals at Bob Wren Stadium to advance to the District title game on Wednesday.

The Falcons actually out-hit the Blue Lions eight to four despite suffering the seven run deficit. Washington had a total of 10 batters that were either walked or hit by a pitch which greatly attributed to the runs scored.

Will Miller started on the mound and earned the win for the Blue Lions. He worked all seven innings, allowing one run on eight hits, with no walks and eight strikeouts on 90 pitches.

Washington scored one run in the first, second and fourth innings and had a big five-run third inning in between.

Aden Osborne led off the bottom of the first inning for the Blue Lions in a big way, crushing a triple to deep left field. Bryce Yeazel reached on a fielder’s choice that scored Osborne, but he was later thrown out trying to advance to second after an errant throw. John Wall then ripped a double to the wall in left-center field, but the next two batters were retired to end the inning.

Miller led off the bottom of the second inning much like Osborne did the first, as he drilled a ball to deep center field for a triple. Cooper Robertson hit a sacrifice fly to score Miller and give his team a 2-0 lead. Gavin Coffman drew a walk and Osborne was hit by a pitch later in the inning, but Washington was unable to bring them around.

The Falcons got one run back in the top of the third inning with a sacrifice squeeze bunt.

Yeazel reached on an error to start the bottom of the third, and Wall popped out to right field. Lotz then hit a one-out single to right field which proved to be the final hit of the night for Washington. Evan Lynch was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Miller drew a walk to score Yeazel. Robertson was then hit by a pitch and Coffman walked, scoring both Lotz and Lynch. After the next batter struck out, Osborne walked to re-load the bases, and Yeazel also walked which scored Robertson. The next batter was retired to end the inning.

The Blue Lions scored their final run in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Lotz was hit by a pitch to start the inning, and Lynch grounded into a fielder’s choice that forced Lotz out at second base. Lynch stole second, and Miller walked to follow. Robertson reached on an error to load the bases, and then Coffman hit a sacrifice fly that scored Lynch to make it 8-1 which was the final.

Offensively for Washington, Miller was 1-for-1 with a triple, two walks, an RBI and two runs scored.

Osborne was 1-for-2 with a triple, a walk and a run scored.

Wall was 1-for-4 with a double.

Lotz was 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Yeazel was 0-for-3 with a walk, two RBI and a run scored.

Robertson was 0-for-1 with two RBI and a run scored.

Lynch was 0-for-3 with two runs scored.

Coffman was 0-for-0 with two walks and two RBI.

As previously mentioned, Washington will play for a District Championship on Wednesday at 4 p.m. Their opponent will be the Jackson Ironmen, who trailed 6-3 to Athens mid-way through the game but stormed back for a 15-7 victory.