***Kendall Vincent is a participant of The Kewanee Voice Student Journalism Program, funded by the Harry Anderson Memorial Trust.

The A/W Titans brought the heat Thursday night, rolling past the Mercer County Golden Eagles with a commanding 14-4 win.

The Titans wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, putting up three runs in the first inning. Kellan Keane got things started with an RBI single, followed by a two-run groundout from Brody Childs.

A single from Keane and a walk by Devon Horrie helped the Titans add to their early momentum in the second inning. The offense kept clicking in the third, with Zeb Rashid drawing a walk, Nic Thurston reaching on a fielder’s choice, and Childs ripping a double down the left field line — each play bringing in a run.

The Titans weren’t done yet. In the top of the seventh, freshman Jaxson Dunn crushed a three-run homer to right field, sealing the deal and putting an exclamation point on a dominant night.

Devon Horrie got the start on the mound, allowing four runs (two earned) over four innings. He gave up four hits, walked four, and struck out none. Jonathan Torres came in for relief and was lights-out, pitching three scoreless innings with two hits, three strikeouts, and just one walk.

A/W’s offense stayed hot throughout the game, racking up 11 hits. Keane led the charge with a 3-for-5 performance, while Maddux Heitzler added two hits in four at-bats. Dunn led the team with three RBIs, and the Titans showed patience at the plate, drawing nine walks — two each from Horrie and Thurston. They also showed speed on the base paths, swiping five bags.

For Mercer County, Kale Breeden was a bright spot, going 3-for-4 at the top of the order. Payton Sedam, Jacob Kenney, and Dakota Coppola each chipped in with an RBI.

The Titans’ balanced attack and strong pitching performance were too much for the Golden Eagles, as A/W cruised to a well-earned victory.