Columbus East High School

The Columbus East baseball team saw a late-inning lead evaporate Monday night, falling 6-5 in a tough HHC road contest at Jeffersonville High School. After trailing early, the Olympians (2-4) surged ahead with a five-run stretch over the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Senior Eli Tindell sparked the offense with a 2-for-4 effort, driving in two runs and swiping a base. Fellow senior Marcus Wilkinson also had a strong day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI double. Columbus East entered the bottom of the sixth with a 5-1 lead, but Jeffersonville responded with a four-run rally to tie the game. A walk-off single in the seventh gave the Red Devils the narrow victory. Sophomore Emmitt Harden, junior Kaden Arnholt, and junior Bige Asher each added a hit and a run for East. All three also contributed on the basepaths with a stolen base apiece. Senior Jackson Watkins started on the mound and was effective through 5.1 innings, allowing just one earned run while striking out four. However, defensive miscues proved costly for East, as the team committed three errors compared to none by Jeffersonville. Despite the loss, the Olympians showed promising offensive depth and competitive energy on the road. They’ll look to clean up the fielding and protect late leads as they continue their early-season slate. Next up: Columbus East will return to action Wednesday night (4/16) as they travel to Madison and get back into the win column. First pitch: 6 p.m.