Lincoln baseball aiming for consistency as comeback effort against Niceville falls short

It's been a rollercoaster start to the season for Lincoln baseball.

The Trojans have enjoyed the thrill of big game victories like the 5-4 win over the nation's top-ranked program in Stoneman Douglas, handing the Eagles its first loss in 59 games.

Quickly following that high point of the young season is the drop. Lincoln (4-6) picked up back-to-back losses following the victory over Stoneman Douglas, including Wednesday night's 7-3 loss to Niceville in extra innings.

“We've played some good teams and faced a couple of good pitchers back-to-back in Cooper Moss at Arnold and Brady Martin with Niceville," Lincoln head coach Mike Gauger said. "We've just got to focus on playing a full seven innings."

After falling behind by one run in the second inning, Niceville took a three-run lead into the bottom half of the sixth inning. A double by freshman Chase Fuller was rewarded with an RBI single from senior Austen Sarvis, cutting the lead to two heading into the final inning of regulation.

Senior Myles Bailey tied the game in the seventh with a two-RBI single, but Niceville plated 4 runs in the top of the eighth to put the game out of the Trojans' reach. A line drive in the bottom of the eighth to Niceville third baseman Deacon Avery turned into a double play, ending the game and Lincoln's comeback effort.

"We needed to win a few more pitches here and there," Gauger said. "We need a more united front, we get excited for the big-name teams and games, and we just need to carry that over into every game."

Playing one of the hardest schedules in the state according to MaxPreps, Gauger knows these games early in the year can help prepare his team for its ultimate goals in the postseason.

When Lincoln put things together wins like the one over Stoneman Douglas can happen, and Gauger knows his team is capable of doing that consistently, but the Trojans need to keep focus for the full game.

"We've played against some really good teams, but we just need to keep attacking for seven innings, that's the main thing," Gauger said. "We want to put ourselves in a position to play well and get ourselves ready to play well in the district tournament when it comes."

As the Trojans head into the second leg of the season, Gauger wants the team to find its rhythm as the schedule doesn't get any easier for Lincoln.

Playing four of MaxPreps' top-100-ranked programs in Florida in the next month, Creekside, Pensacola Catholic, Bishop Kenny and a rematch with Chiles, Gauger wants his team to keep its big game mindset for the remainder of the season.

"We've just got to find a way to get into that mentality consistently," Gauger said. "I'll say it again, we really just need to play a good full seven innings."

Stat leaders

Lincoln

Myles Bailey: 2-for-3, 2RBI

Chase Fuller: 1-for-3, 1 run, 1 BB

Austen Servis: 1-for-4, 1 RBI

Tyler Anderson: 1-for-3, 1 Run

Nate Dietz: 5 innings pitched, 5 ks, 1 bb, 5 h, 3 er

Niceville

Deacon Avery: 1-for-4, 3 RBI

Yahir Burgos: 3-for-5, 2 RBI, 1 HR

Reilly Six: 2-for-4, 1 run, 1 RBI

Brady Martin: 6 innings pitched, 8 ks, 1 bb, 3 h, 1 er

Liam Rooney covers preps sports for the Tallahassee Democrat. Contact him via email at LRooney@gannett.com or on Twitter @__liamrooney

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Lincoln baseball looking for consistency, fall short against Niceville