KHSAA Kentucky High School Baseball Tournament: Thursday Preview
Baseball is on the mind of Kentuckians as the University of Kentucky baseball team will host a Regional in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017 (also the last time they made the tournament).
However, with all of the (well-deserved) hype around the Bat ‘Cats, some are forgetting the other tournament taking place this week in Lexington. Young stars will look to make history for their schools on the diamond as the 2023 Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Baseball State Tournament begins on Thursday, June 1. The first round will be held at Counter Clocks Field in Lexington, as Kentucky Proud Park will be booked.
Here at KSR, we’ll break down the matchups and will (hopefully) be on site for this year’s iteration of the playoffs. To start, let’s dive into the first-round games set for Thursday. A preview of Friday’s first-round games will be coming to the website on Wednesday.
Bullitt East vs Eastern | 1:30 PM
Both teams enter the matchup underrated, as neither is ranked in the latest Prep Baseball Report rankings.
However, the Eastern Eagles are the surprise of the state, as they escaped the gauntlet of the 7th Region. In fact, the Eagles defeated the second and third-ranked teams in the state to achieve that title. Eastern’s 3-0 win over St. Xavier in the Regional championship sent shock waves throughout the state. Senior pitcher Henry Craig pitched a complete game shutout in the matchup as he let up just four hits the entire game. Craig got the win for the Eagles on the mound while Brayden Nettles drove in two runs for the Eagles at the plate. Eastern may very well be the hottest team entering the tournament.
On the other side, Bullitt East enjoyed a good year with a 22-13-1 record and added a 6th Region championship to their name. Luke Renfro leads the Chargers in RBIs with 35 in only 83 ABs. Cade Owen added 30 RBIs along with a team-leading 14 doubles this season. On the mound, the Chargers are led by Kendall Henson, who in 11 starts boasts a 1.81 ERA. Henson led the squad in their championship win over Fern Creek with a no-hitter. He may very well be the best pitcher in the entire tournament.
Shelby County vs McCracken County | 10:00 AM
Rocket Pride is county-wide as the Shelby County Rockets capped off a great season with an 8th Region championship. The Rockets defeated a very good Woodford County team 4-3 to capture the title on Louisville baseball’s field.
Shelby County finished the playoffs with a 29-9 record, good enough for 17th in the state according to PBR. Kemper Whisman leads the Rockets with a .430 AVG to go along with 36 RBIs and 23 doubles. Hunter Cook leads Shelby County in homers with four on the year, also adding 32 RBIs. The pitching staff is led by Jack Willis who started 11 games this season with a 6-1 record and a 2.71 ERA. Whisman also takes the mound for the Rockets, as he has started 10 games this season with a 2.49 ERA and the second-most innings pitched on the team.
But McCracken County may very well be the favorite entering Thursday. After the top three ranked teams fell in the 7th Region, some are forgetting the powerhouse that McCracken County has become.
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The Mustangs haven’t missed a state tournament since 2014. In fact, McCracken County has made two of the last three state championship games, losing in both. This year, the Mustangs have revenge on their mind, finishing the season with a 28-10 record while going undefeated in the 1st Region. “Mustangs juniors Ross Aldridge (Louisville), Caleb Ehling (Wright State) and Miller Green (Western Kentucky) and senior Nathan Long (Bellarmine) are the NCAA Division I commits,” According to the Lexington Herald-Leader. Look for McCracken County to be one of the most talented teams on the field over the next few weeks.
(Winners of Shelby County/McCracken County and Bullitt East/Eastern will play June 3rd at 10:00 AM)
Raceland vs Lexington Catholic | 8:30 PM
The nightcap for the tournament games on Thursday will have one of the best teams in the state featured. Along with McCracken County, most would say that Lexington Catholic has the best chance to take home the state championship this season. With a 29-9 record in the tough 11th Region, Lexington Catholic has been tested all year by great teams such as No. 6 Dunbar, No. 7 Sayre, and No. 9 Tates Creek.
However, once the district tournament came around, the Knights turned the heat up as the mowed through the competition. Their 3-1 Regional championship win over Great Crossing proved that the Knights are built for June baseball. Senior outfielder Griffin Cameron will attend Kentucky next year, as he hopes to get some early practice at Kentucky Proud Park. He told the Herald-Leader, “Throughout the entire season, we knew what we were capable of and we’re going to show the entire state that we’re capable of winning a state championship here.” Catcher Owen Jenkins has received high praise throughout the state and will continue his athletic career at Louisville.
Raceland will have the tall task of knocking off Lexington Catholic in the first round. The Racers will need big games out of pitcher Kadin Shore and fielder Clay Coldiron. Both have enjoyed very good years and came up clutch for the Racers in the second half of the season. Raceland has a team batting average of .323 which will help at a bigger park like Counter Clocks Field.
Beechwood vs. Apollo | 5:00 PM
This matchup may feature two of the most underrated teams in the entire field. Beechwood has been one of the more underrated teams throughout the season in Kentucky. With a 27-8 record and playoff wins over No. 18 Ryle and Highlands, the Tigers have been playing some great baseball. Cameron Boyd has put up video game stats this season with a .516 AVG and a best-in-state 12 home runs. Tyler Fryman is another player to watch for Beechwood as the eighth grader is batting .348 with 24 RBIs.
Apollo is led by Will Strode who will attend Kent State next season. The Eagles captured the 3rd Region championship with a win over Muhlenberg County 5-3 at Vastwood Park. Noah Cook will likely get the start for the Eagles as he has started 11 games this season with a 2.23 ERA.
(Winners of Raceland/Lexington Catholic and Beechwood/Apollo will play June 3rd at 1:30 PM)
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