Blackman senior Justin Bowers’ fifth-inning grand slam gave the Blaze a 5-3 win over Independence in Tuesday’s opening round of the Class AAA baseball tournament at Oakland. It was Blackman’s fourth consecutive postseason come from behind win. Both teams are making their first state appearance. Prior to the fifth inning, Independence’s Brian Miller had pitched a beautiful game giving up just one run on one hit. But the Blaze bats caught fire in the fifth, loading the bases with a fielder’s choice, double and walk for Bowers. Bowers drove Miller’s low, inside pitch over the right-field fence, just over the head of right fielder Blake Carden. Independence scored in the first when leadoff batter Ty Stannard walked and scored on Lee’s single. After Blackman tied it in the second on Cade Seeley’s RBI single, the Eagles scored a run in the fourth and the fifth to give Independence a 3-1 lead.

Doug Forte, a senior left-hander, relieved starter Blake Harvey in the fifth inning and pitched two innings of scoreless ball to get the win. Junior Ross Mitchell pitched the seventh to collect his second save. Independence went quietly in the sixth and seventh.

Blackman (30-9) will play Farragut at 12:30 p.m. today at Oakland in the double-elimination tournament. Independence (28-9) will play Collierville at 10 a.m.