Taylor County’s Season Ends! Central Hardin’s Continues!
PRP 9 Taylor County 8 (8-innings) – It looked good for the Cardinals! Well, at least for a while as they headed to the bottom of the seventh with a three-run lead. Unfortunately, PRP’s magically run was not over and Taylor County eventually allowed the Panthers to tie it after seven and after taking a 8-7 lead in the top of the eighth saw them score twice to win a thrilling come from behind win in the first semi-state baseball game at Eastern High School. The “Cardiac Kids” of PRP have now won three straight eight inning games in elimination mode and looked like they might have met their match against Taylor County until the Panthers, who eventually pounded out 15-hits, overcame a 7-4 deficit in the bottom of the seventh. The Cardinals had a two-run single by Tate Morgan and Weston Garrett scored from third on a wild pitch to take a 7-4 lead, but after PRP’s Cooper Haycraft reached first on an error to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Luke Creech followed with a single. Taylor County starting pitcher D.J. Goodin was taken out and reliever Cole Dawson threw one pitch which Reed Blaszcyk took over the wall for a three-run game tying home run. After Taylor County got a run in the top of the eighth, Haycraft led off the bottom of the inning with a walk and Creech and Blaszcyk hit singles to load the bases. A sacrifice fly scored the game tying run and then after the bases were reloaded with an intentional walk, James Wilson singled home the game winner.
Central Hardin 6 Butler 2 – Life is GOOD for Kaci Goedde! The senior pitcher for Central Hardin has already set herself to be the most successful ACE in Lady Bruin history and after throwing a complete game win over Butler in the first round of the KHSAA State Softball Tournament, she has set her team up to be just one win shy of a Final Four appearance for the first time in the team’s history. Although this is the first time that the single elimination format is being used in Kentucky high school softball, Goedde, who has been the winning pitcher in five straight 5th Region Championship games felt no pressure as she scattered nine-hits, allowed just two runs, 2-walks and had two strikeouts. Goedde is not a strikeout machine, but she is good at controlling the game and forcing batters to hit her pitch which is why despite being in trouble in a couple innings, she doesn’t allow many runs. Meanwhile, the Lady Bruins gave her plenty of support with a leadoff homer by Angel Ashlock and plating another run in the top of the first of Butler pitcher Sadie Werner. Central Hardin added on to that 2-0 lead in the fourth by sending eight batters to the plate and scoring three times to make it 5-0. Catcher Bailey Richardson hit another home run in the fifth to make it 6-0 until Butler finally answered with single runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth, but were unable to get anymore in a 6-2 Central Hardin win. With a win over Pendleton County Friday morning in Lexington, KY (10:00 am), the Lady Bruins can tie for the best record in team history (36-6 2011).
