By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Austin Spears was not about to be the guy who blew it for Sylvan Hills.
The Bears senior first baseman and pitcher hit a two-run, game-ending single in the seventh inning to lift his team past visiting Monticello, 12-11, in Game 1 of a badly needed 5A-Southeast Conference doubleheader sweep for Sylvan Hills.
The winning hit was redemption for Spears after he gave up the go-ahead hit for the Billies in the top of the seventh.
The Bears (13-10, 8-2) dominated the nightcap 12-2, with Spears picking up victories on the mound in both games.
“Anytime you can sweep a doubleheader against a quality opponent, it’s a good night,” Bears coach Denny Tipton said. “Austin came into that at-bat 0 for 4, but I’ve always told them that last at-bat could be the one that makes the difference.”
Spears popped out in his four previous at-bats in the first game, but sent a two RBI single to left center that scored Justin Cook and Dylan Boone to bring the Bears back after the Billies scored six runs to overcome a 9-5 deficit and take an 11-9 lead entering the seventh.
“We’re just trying to get on a good roll in conference,” Spears said. “And it was good to pull out that win.”
Spears came on in relief of Boone in the top of the seventh with two outs and two runners on and had Monticello’s cleanup hitter down 0-2 before a two RBI single to center gave the Billies the 11-9 lead.
“I thought I had him,” Spears said. “My fastball kept rising on me; I threw him a curveball, and he made me pay for it. I’m just glad we won.”
The Bears responded with a seventh inning rally that began when Sims was hit by a pitch with one out.
Cook walked, and Boone scored Sims with a single to left that cut the margin to 11-10.
Hunter singled to put the winning run at first and Spears clinched it with his line drive into center.
The Bears got off to a fast start with five runs in the bottom of the first, starting with a leadoff double by junior Trey Sims.
Justin Cook and Dylan Boone reached on errors, and starting pitcher Lance Hunter loaded the bases with a single.
Blake Rasdon drove in Cook with a single and Boone scored when Michael Maddox drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 3-0.
Monticello’s starter hit John Miller with a pitch to score Hunter, and Rasdon scored when Greg Atchison hit into a fielder’s choice at shortstop.
Monticello made up runs in the top of the second before Hunter, Atchison and Boone all singled in the bottom of the third as part of a three-run rally for Sylvan Hills.
Sims led off the Sylvan Hills fifth with a single to right and Cook drove him in with a single to right to give the Bears a 9-5 lead.
Rasdon was 3 for 4 in Game 1 with two runs while Sims was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs.
Maddox was 2 for 3 with a double and Boone was 2 for 4 an RBI and two runs. Hunter was 2 for 5 with a RBI.
The Bears will wrap up conference play with a home doubleheader against White Hall on Tuesday.
Sylvan Hills can secure the No. 2 seed from the conference with a sweep, but a split or two losses will push the Bears back to third.
