Jeremy Shope’s Whitley County Colonels entered the season with a mission to redeem themselves after falling short of repeating as 13th Region champions due to a stunning first-round loss to Middlesboro.
Whitley County had a season-best 13-game win streak entering the first-round matchup in 2022, but unfortunately, they lost. The defeat left the Colonels hungry for the 2023 season, and they didn’t disappoint.
Shope’s squad had impressive win streaks of 11, nine, eight, and four games, entering their matchup with Corbin in last week’s 50th District Tournament finals.
The Colonels had already defeated the Redhounds three times, including capturing the Kentucky Class 2A, Section 7 championship. However, things did not go as planned, and Corbin stunned Whitley County with a 7-2 victory, knocking out starter Grant Zehr in only three innings of work. He allowed four hits and five earned runs, but in the end (keep reading), he came through when his team needed him the most.
Whitley County also had a bad day at the plate, and Corbin’s Bradric Helton dominated on the mound, limiting the Colonels to only four hits in 25 plate appearances.
It was a bad day all around for Whitley County, which also meant the Redhounds had all of the momentum entering the region tournament.
However, instead of overreacting, the Colonels continued to focus on the matter at hand, which was another first-round matchup against the same Yellow Jacket team that eliminated them last season.
Whitley County made sure a repeat effort wouldn’t happen by handing Middlesboro a 7-4 loss behind the pitching of Sam Harp.
Harp allowed only two hits and no earned runs while striking out two batters. Brayden Anderson and Hunter Wilson had two hits apiece at the plate, while Harp helped his own cause by driving in two players.
The Colonels’ semifinal matchup with North Laurel wasn’t as close as many though it would be.
Whitley County won 9-2, thanks to a four-hit, five RBI effort from Matthew Wright, while Mason Croley dominated on the mound, scattering five hits while allowing one earned run. He also struck out five batters.
The win set up another matchup with Corbin in the region finals, marking the fifth time the two teams had met this season.
This time around, the Colonels got the last laugh, jumping out on top of the Redhounds before pulling out a 7-1 victory and securing their second region title in three years. Zehr dominated on the mound, allowing only two hits and one earned run in a complete game effort.
The Colonels accomplished their feat by relying on solid pitching, hitting, and coaching, just like they have done all season while boasting a 35-4 record.
Whitley County was a great team from the beginning, and a favorable draw at the state tournament makes things even better.
The Colonels could be bringing home a state championship to 350 Boulevard of Champions.
