Owensboro Catholic narrowly withstood a two-out rally by Muhlenberg County in the top of the seventh inning, but the Aces were able to hold on for a 7-6 victory over the two-time defending 3rd Region baseball champions.
Tuesday night’s region tournament semifinal win marks the first time the Aces (23-14) have advanced to the championship game since 2005, when they made their most recent KHSAA state tournament appearance.
Luke Scales dominated at the plate for the Aces, finishing a double shy of hitting for the cycle. Scales went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored. His solo homer in the sixth inning proved key, as it gave Catholic a 7-3 lead entering the final frame.
Scales also drove in a run in the sixth inning after Everett Munsey and Sam McFarland led off with back-to-back doubles.
With nobody on and down to their final out, the Mustangs (13-21) put together a rally that nearly tied the game. A Dalton Nunley single, two consecutive walks, and back-to-back errors allowed two runs to score and left the bases loaded. Bronzyn Healy then scored on a wild pitch before the Aces managed to escape the bases-loaded jam for the win.
Owensboro Catholic head coach Derek Hibbs was eager to get the final out.
“We’ve given up six or seven unearned runs in some late-inning games, and it’s cost us some games that I think we’ve learned from,” Hibbs said. “When we get two outs like that, all you’re looking for is that 21st out. It was definitely a little nerve-racking as a coach.”
Defensively, starting pitcher Finley Munsey held the Mustangs to three runs on nine hits with seven strikeouts in 6.2 innings of work. Scales was able to strike out the final batter.
“Finley threw well,” Hibbs said. “He’s thrown some big things for us this year. I was really wanting to let him finish that game out. It just helps us to save some guys for tomorrow. Scales settled in right there with the tying run at third base and got that huge strikeout.”
Muhlenberg County was first to score, plating one run in the top of the first inning. Catholic was quick to respond, pushing two runs across in the bottom of the frame when Braden Mundy drove in both McFarland and Evans on a shallow base hit to left field.
After Muhlenberg County tie the game at 2-2, the Aces plated two in the bottom of the third inning. Scales got the ball rolling with a one-out triple to deep right field, while Andrew Wiman was hit by a pitch before stealing second. Both were driven in on a double to center field by Finley Munsey.
Muhlenberg attempted to rally in the top of the fifth after Matt Jackson doubled and Jakob Greene singled to put runners at the corners with no outs. Nunley drove in Jackson on an infield single to trim the deficit to 6-3 before the Aces escaped the bases-loaded jam.
Nunley had a solid performance for the Mustangs, going 3-for-4 with a triple while driving in two runs and scoring one. Issac Rose took the loss, allowing four runs on seven hits in three innings of work. Caden Yates pitched three innings of relief, allowing three runs on four hits.
The Aces advance to Wednesday’s 3rd Region championship at 7 p.m. against Breckenridge County, who defeated Owensboro 3-1 in Tuesday night’s other semifinal contest.
“We’re going to have to clean up defensively if we want to win that game,” Hibbs said. “I’m proud of the guys. This a huge stage. Everybody talks about our youth, we don’t talk about it at all, but we saw a little of it today. I think that will help us heading into tomorrow.”
MCHS 100-010-3—6-9-0
OCHS 202-201-X—7-11-3
WP: F. Munsey. LP: Rose. 2B: Jackson (MC), McFarland, F. Munsey, E. Munsey (OC). 3B: Nunley (MC), Scales (OC). HR: Scales (OC).
