The drought is over for Owensboro Catholic, who won their first 9th District baseball title since 2005.
The Aces pounced on their opportunities early and held on to knock off No. 1 seed and defending champion Owensboro 8-5 Wednesday at Chautauqua Park in front of another packed crowd.
Catholic (21-14) is making their first return to the 3rd Region tournament since winning the district 14 years ago. While a semifinal win Tuesday had already earned them that berth, Aces head coach Derek Hibbs said a district title is even sweeter.
“It’s huge in building some momentum for the program,” he said. “(Tuesday) we got the monkey off our back with so many years of not being in region. Now, winning district, this is huge.”
Catholic was the aggressor early and put up one run in the opening frame. Luke Scales used a two-out single and stolen base to get to second, and he scored on a hit by Andrew Wiman.
The Aces added three more in the top of the third inning, which began when Everett Munsey walked and Sam McFarland reached safely on an error. Munsey later scored on a wild pitch, while Wiman drove in McFarland and Scales with another hit.
Owensboro (23-10) got their first run in the fourth inning. Nick Belcher singled and advanced all the way to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a hit by Collier Higgs.
Wiman picked up his fourth RBI of the night on a sac fly to score Luke Evans, stretching the Catholic lead to 5-1. They created some extra space in the sixth with three more runs, as Munsey got an RBI single and McFarland followed with a two-run triple.
The Red Devils didn’t go down without a fight, though, as they plated two runs in each of the final two innings. With bases loaded and one out in the sixth, Brennon Williams reached on an error that allowed one run to score, and Nick Belcher scored on a wild pitch.
Catholic pitcher McFarland got out of the jam with a strikeout and fly out, and the Aces led 8-3 heading into the final frame. Finley Munsey took the mound for Catholic in the seventh and allowed two runs.
Belcher and Higgs used back-to-back RBI doubles to cut the deficit to 8-5 with two outs, but the Red Devils couldn’t keep the rally going.
“Every time they put some runs on the board, we answered back,” Hibbs said. “We kept the lead. They’re a good team so they made us work and earn it, but we were able to finish it off.”
McFarland picked up the win in six innings of work, allowing two earned runs on four hits with seven strikeouts.
Belcher went 3-for-3 with three runs and an RBI to lead the OHS offense.
OCHS 103-013-0—8-9-1
OHS 000-102-2—5-7-2
WP: McFarland. LP: Belcher. 2B: Evans, Castlen (OC), Belcher, Higgs (O). 3B: McFarland (OC).
The All-9th District Team was announced after the game.
Player of the Year: Isacc Humphrey, Owensboro
From Apollo: Josh Maddox, Daylin Crabtree
From Daviess County: Chandler Froelich, Nolan Boswell
From Owensboro: Nick Belcher, Collier Higgs, Braxton French
From Owensboro Catholic: Andrew Wiman, Mason Grant, Luke Scales, Sam McFarland
