LEXINGTON — Both Corbin and Owensboro Catholic took each other’s best shot but in the end, the Aces delivered the knockout blow in the bottom of the ninth via a base hit by Mason Moser with bases loaded that gave his team a 5-4 win in first round action of Friday’s KHSAA State Baseball Tournament.
The Redhounds (30-11) had high expectations of making a run at the state title, but failed to Owensboro Catholic away on two occasions. They held leads of 2-0 and 4-2, but the Aces continued to fight back and pick up the win.
Corbin’s Noah Cima opened the game with some fireworks, connecting on the fifth pitch, sending it to right field while eventually scoring on an inside the park home run to give the Redhounds an early 1-0 lead.
Owensboro Catholic answered in the bottom of the first with a run of its own as Brady Atwell had one of three singles in the inning, scoring Houston Flynn to tie the game at one apiece.
Corbin regained the lead in the top of the third inning after a run-scoring single by Kade Elam brought home Cima, who reached base on a fielder’s choose and then stole third base, giving his team a 2-1 advantage.
The Aces tied the game in the bottom of the fourth after Elijah Blair hit into a fielder’s choice to make the score, 2-2.
The Redhounds gave themselves some breathing room in the top of the fifth inning as Clay Botner led the inning off with a single.
Lucas Tarvin bunted into a fielder’s choice and reached first base while Botner was out at second base. Cima followed with a pop out while Walker Landrum connected with a triple, scoring Tarvin to give Corbin a 3-2 lead. A walk to Elam put runners on first and third as Mikey Neal connected with a run-scoring single to give his team a 4-2 cushion.
Just when it looked as if the Redhounds were pulling away, Owensboro Catholic’s Barrett Evans connects with a two-run home run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the game at four apiece.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the ninth when the Aces loaded the bases with one out. It looked as if Corbin might get out of the jam after recording an out but Mason Moser connected with a hit to left field to bring in the winning run.
Jeremiah Gilbert started the game for Corbin, lasting six innings while allowing nine hits and four earned runs. He struck out five batters. Will Freeman pitched two scoreless and hitless innings. Bradric Helton pitched the ninth inning, recording two outs while allowing a hit and an earned run. He finished with one strikeout.
Walker Landrum led the Redhounds with two hits, one RBI and a run scored while Botner had two hits. Noah Cima finished with an inside the park home run, one RBI and two runs scored while Elam and Neal had a hit and an RBI apiece. Tarvin finished with a hit and a run scored.
