GREEN RIVER — The Green River Knights varsity baseball team dropped both games of a tightly-contested conference doubleheader to the Evanston Outlaws Tuesday evening at Stratton Myers Park.

The Knights came close in game one, clawing their way back from a five-run deficit but ultimately falling 11-10. James Hartman provided the highlight of the night for Green River with a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Evanston built an early lead with a five-run second inning, capitalizing on a Green River error and a string of RBI hits from Tyson Bateman, Damian Kaman, and Gavin Oliver. The Outlaws tacked on three more in the third to take an 8-3 lead.

Green River battled back with a series of runs in the middle innings, including Hartman’s slam that gave them the lead at 10-8. But the Outlaws regained the lead at the top of the seventh when Jacson Osborne drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single.

Hartman finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBIs. Landon Smart also had a strong night at the plate, going 2-for-4. The Knights drew 11 walks as a team but couldn’t hold Evanston’s offense at bay. Karson Hansen threw 4.2 innings in relief, allowing just one earned run.

Evanston racked up 14 hits and seven stolen bases in the opener. Kaman and Bateman each drove in two runs and recorded multi-hit games.

Late Rally Not Enough as Knights Fall in Nightcap

In game two, Green River once again struck first but couldn’t hang on as Evanston used a big sixth inning to pull away and win 11-6, completing the sweep.

The Knights opened the scoring in the first inning when Smart singled home a run. Evanston tied it in the third and surged ahead in the sixth with a five-run frame that featured a two-run double by Oliver and two bases-loaded HBPs.

Gavin Oliver was effective on the mound for Evanston, allowing just three earned runs across six innings while striking out four. Brody Fuller started for Green River, giving up four runs, two earned, in five innings.

Smart, Karson Hansen, and Dom Hamel each recorded two hits for Green River, while Smart and Travin Brown drove in two runs apiece. Hartman added two stolen bases.

Oliver also led Evanston at the plate with a 3-for-4 outing and two RBIs. Tyson Bateman and Brecken Rich each knocked in two runs for the Outlaws, who totaled eight walks and four stolen bases in the second game.

Check out some photos from the games below.