Red Devils rally late to take down Aces in extras

May 4, 2019 | 1:32 am

Updated May 4, 2019 | 5:38 pm

Owensboro fought back from a deficit to earn a walk-off win over Owensboro Catholic. | Photo by Marc Ray

A packed house at Shifley Park witnessed Owensboro narrowly escape defeat, as a rally in the bottom of the seventh eventually turned into a 5-4 walk-off victory in nine innings over Owensboro Catholic.

Friday’s win for the Red Devils (15-8, 4-1 9th District) moves them into first place in the 9th District baseball standings with one game to go. They picked up their fourth win in a row and seventh in their last eight outings. It marked the fifth straight loss for the visiting Aces (15-11, 3-2) following a string of nine victories.

Catholic led for much of the game and held a 4-2 advantage when they had the Red Devils down to their final out. Owensboro’s Tucker Hagan then reached on an error and Nick Belcher drew a walk before they both advanced one base on a passed ball.

Senior Collier Higgs then drove in both runners with a single to left field to force extra innings. Higgs also scored a run earlier in the game. Head coach Logan Johnson attributed much of the team’s success to veteran leadership from players like Higgs.

“Having that veteran senior (Higgs) in the lineup means a lot to us,” Johnson said.  “We have a lot of guys that have been playing for a while and they’ve been through trials and tribulations, and now it’s starting to be the time where they pull through and see the success.”

A pair of singles by Braxton French and Nick Belcher followed by a walk loaded the bases with one out for the Red Devils in the bottom of the ninth. Isaac Humphrey then fought back from an 0-2 count to draw another walk, which allowed French to score the winning run.

Johnson said that having a seasoned group allowed them to stay in the game.

“They’re never going to quit,” Johnson said. “They learned from their at-bats and later in the game everyone made adjustments.”

Owensboro scored the first run of the game in the second inning on a Brennon Williams double that drove in Higgs.

Catholic wasted no time with a response, scoring three runs in the top of the third inning. Sam McFarland led off with a single and reached second when Luke Evans was hit by pitch, and he eventually scored on an error. Finley Munsey drove a single up the middle with the bases loaded to plate Evans, and Luke Scales scored the final run of the inning on another hit batter.

Scales came through for the Aces again in the top of the fourth inning, hitting a double to center field, and he went on to score on a wild pitch to extend Catholic’s lead to 4-1.

Scales had an impressive night at the plate for the Aces, going 3-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Mason Grant started on the mound for the Aces, allowing just one run on six hits and striking out seven in 5.1 innings of work.

“Grant did a great job of keeping us off balance,” Johnson said.  “He used his fastball to get ahead and had a good breaking ball.”

Owensboro threatened right away in the sixth inning when Nick Belcher reached on an error and was driven in by a single from Higgs. They had runners at the corners with only one out but could not do any more damage in the inning.

In addition to scoring the winning run, French picked up the win for the Red Devils, allowing no runs on one hit in 2.1 innings of work.

Sam McFarland recorded three hits for Catholic while scoring one run.  Isaac Humphrey recorded two hits including a triple for Owensboro.

OCHS 003-100-000—4-10-4
OHS 010-001-201—5-9-1
WP: French. LP: Scales. 2B: Scales (OC), Williams (O). 3B: Humphrey (O).

May 4, 2019 | 1:32 am

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