GREEN COVE SPRINGS - Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville has a powerful history in Class 4A baseball and Clay High has a storied history in Class 5A baseball. Tuesday, both worlds collided in an epic slugfest at Clay High School with Trinity winning a 17-9 decision off a night of big blasts and tough pitching.

"But for some late inning errors, the kids on the team played about as tough as a coach can ask them," said Clay coach Josh Persinger. "We made them use five pitchers tonight."

Clay battled all night with Andy Yarbrough and Connor Solomon taking on the Trinity batting lineup from the mound as the Blue Devils built a 9-8 lead into the sixth inning in what looked like a pseudo-upset in the making, but Trinity (3-1) exploded with 10 runs off a handful of fielding errors in their end of the sixth inning for the turnaround.

"I asked them before the game if they thought they could win and got some silent stares," said Persinger. "I told them I believed they could win and they showed me more in fighting for each play. I think a game like this can turn a season in the right direction."

In the first inning, with Yarbrough on the mound for Clay, Trinity flexed some bat muscle with two doubles scoring a 3-0 quick lead.

Clay answered in the bottom of the first inning with four of their own runs off an error and two walks that loaded the bases and a fielder's choice grounder from Tyler Spence to score one run. A long ball from Solomon scored a run on a tag up before Austin Burke ripped an RBI single to tied the game at 3-3. An RBI double from Ken Burke put Clay up 4-3 before Chase Holman grounded out.

Trinity went right to work in the following inning with a single off a second base error from Lemen on a wicked hit. Yarbrough hit the next batter after a flyout before an RBI single tied the game at 4-4.

Then, a home run from A.J Andrews pushed Trinity up 7-4 before a flyout to Daniel Nugent to Lemen on a leaping stab of a line drive.

Both teams went neutral on the next at-bats as the scored stayed 7-5 until Clay scored one more in the third off a walk to Austin Burke and singles to Ken Burke and Holman.

"They had the big bats on their side and we had to pick and choose our spots to get on base," said Persinger. "We made some nice baserunning plays to put us in position to score and take the lead late in the game. That last inning, I think the effort just took its toll."

In the Clay fourth inning, Cole Escher walked, Lemen singled and Spence singled with Escher getting tagged out trying to score. Solomon was hit by a pitch to put two Clay baserunners in play before Spence scored to tie the game 7-7.

In the fifth, Clay took a 9-7 lead behind singles to Burke, Holman and Owens as Trinity went to their third pitcher before the Blue Devils exacted three steals to set up Escher for a 2RBI double.

Two singles and an error at third from Austin Burke put the game at 9-8, an error at second scored the game 10-8, before a double and two singles pushed the game to 14-9.

Clay (1-4)

Feb. 21 Beat Keystone Heights 3-2

Clay: Josh Lemen, 3 hits, 1 run, 1RBI; Tyler Spence, 1RBI; Ken Burke, 1RBI

7th inning, score 2-2: Cole Escher singles; Lemen singles-Escher to third; Burke sacrifice scores Escher for winning run 3-2.

Third inning: Escher walks, steals second, scores on Lemen single. Tyler Spence triples, scores Lemen

KHHS: Steve Rodriguez doubles, scores on Lewis Lewis single. Conner Osteen singles, Lewis to second Gage Hall doubles in Osteen.

Feb. 24 Lost to Colquitt County (GA) 6-3

Feb. 25 lost to Newnan (GA) 5-3

Feb. 25 lost to Columbus (GA) 14-5

Next: March 2 at Episcopal, March 3 at Creekside, March 7 at Oakleaf, March 9 vs. Baker County