Trojans break open late, roll past Northside Christian 24-3

Tree of Life Christian School pulled away with a massive late surge Friday night, scoring 18 runs across the sixth and seventh innings to turn a competitive game into a 24-3 win over Northside Christian at Lou Berliner Sports Park in Columbus.

The decisive moment came early, then the Trojans kept building. In the first inning, Sam Jackson delivered a double that brought home Eli Vascura from second base and gave Tree of Life the lead. That opening swing set the tone for an offense that started quietly but eventually overwhelmed Northside Christian with hard contact throughout the lineup.

By the late innings, the Trojans' pressure was constant. Tree of Life was aggressive on the bases all game, finishing with 10 stolen bases and executing two suicide squeezes as part of the attack. Sam Jackson, Eli Vascura and Meshach Bishara led the offense, while Shepherd Cradic also turned in a strong night at the plate after stepping in at first base for the injured Keon King.

The Trojans also got a strong effort on the mound. Bubba Jackson started, earned the win and struck out eight batters. Sam Jackson came on in relief to close out the game, giving Tree of Life steady work from the Jackson brothers as Northside Christian was limited to three runs.

The result reflected both the depth and persistence of the Tree of Life lineup. Even before the scoring burst in the final two innings, the Trojans repeatedly put the ball in play with authority, though several early balls found defenders. Once the offense broke through, the game quickly got out of reach, and Tree of Life finished with one of its most explosive outputs of the season.