DAILY LEADER / TERESA ALLRED / West Lincoln’s first baseman Lofton Sill stretches to make the play against Bassfield Tuesday night.

BASSFIELD – The scoreboard operators were busy on Tuesday as the West Lincoln Bears and Bassfield combined for 27 runs in Region 7-2A baseball action. The Bears survives the offensive slugfest to win 19-8 in seven innings.

Both teams combined for 18 hits, including seven extra base hits.

West Lincoln beat Bassfield thanks to 11 hits, including five extra base hits. The Bears scored eight runs in the seventh inning lead by a two-run single by Seth Bivens, an RBI single by Charles Wayne Smith, an RBI single by Austin Burris and a two-run double by Bryce Temple.

Both team fought in a back-and-forth contest heading into the fourth, which provided six different lead changes.

The Bears managed to take command in the fourth inning and held on for the victory. West Lincoln went up for good on a two-run double by Temple, scoring Daniel Spears and Burris.

Even though Bivens allowed eight runs over seven innings he still recorded the victory. He struck out 13, walked six and surrendered seven hits.

The Bears easily handled Bassfield pitching as six hitters combined for eight hits, and 15 runs scored.

In the top of the first inning saw the Bears take an early lead, 1-0.

Bassfield answered West Lincoln in the bottom of the first inning with two runs of their own and added two more runs in the second inning.

After posting one run in the third inning, the Bears would provide another run in the fifth.

Temples powered the Bears at the plate with two doubles. Bivens provided a double and a single. Alex Neal and Ty Forman ripped a double each. Hitting safely were Austin Burris, Lofton Sills, Hunter Maxwell, Charles Wayne Smith and Daniel Spears

The Bears (6-7, 4-1) will resume action Thursday as they return home to host the Bassfield Yellowjackets for Game two of the division series. Junior varsity action begins at 4:30 p.m., followed by the varsity contest at 6:30 p.m.