BASEBALL: Eagles lose narrowly to region's first-place team

East Jackson led region-leading Morgan County 1-0 until the fifth inning before falling 3-1 to the sixth-ranked Bulldogs Tuesday at home.
Jake Varner went 2-for-3 for the Eagles (11-15, 3-10), while Halton Hardy went 1-for-3 and drove in East Jackson's lone run with an RBI single in the fourth inning.
The Bulldogs tied the game with an RBI double in the top of the fifth and took a two-run lead with a two-run homer in the same inning.
Caleb Adair started for East Jackson on the mound, allowing no runs and one hit over 2 2/3 innings, before giving way to Cole Sealey, who threw the final 4 1/3 innings. He surrendered three runs and seven hits.
East Jackson will close its region schedule with a doubleheader at Morgan County Friday night (5 p.m.) before taking on Lakeview Tuesday on the road (4:30 p.m.) and Commerce Wednesday at home (5:30 p.m.).