Playing in their first 3rd Region baseball tournament in 14 years, Owensboro Catholic stayed hot and got plenty of help from senior Andrew Wiman at the plate in a 7-2 win over Meade County on Monday.
Wiman went 4-for-4 with four singles and drove in two runs while scoring one, leading the 9th District champion Aces (22-14) to their quarterfinal victory over the Green Wave (16-21) at Shifley Park.
Catholic head coach Derek Hibbs believed much of the success to be the result of a complete team effort.
“(Everett Munsey) had a big hit and scored a couple, Wiman had a big hit scoring one,” Hibbs said. “Luke Evans with the intentional walk right in front of him, stepping up with two outs and getting a hit to put it way, that was huge.”
Owensboro Catholic blew the game wide open in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Aces entered the inning with a one-run advantage but used their hot bats, a sacrifice and a walk to extend their lead to 7-2.
Everett Munsey and Hunter Small started the inning with a pair of singles before advancing to second and third, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt by John Michael Frey. With first base open and two outs, the Green Wave intentionally walked Sam McFarland to set the stage for the freshman Evans. Evans drove in both Munsey and Small on a base hit to left field while a pair of RBI singles by Luke Scales and Wiman plated two additional runs for the Aces.
Mason Grant got the nod on the mound for the Aces and helped secure the victory, pitching five innings while allowing only two runs on six hits and striking out three. Scales picked up the save,, allowing no runs on two hits in two innings of relief.
“Mason threw the ball really well today — he got on top and didn’t walk a ton of guys, and really gave it his all,” Hibbs said. “Scales came in and shut them down and was good to go.”
The Aces struck first, scoring two runs in the bottom of the second inning. Wiman singled down the right field line and advanced to second when Finley Munsey walked. A sacrifice bunt by Braden Mundy was followed by an Everett Munsey single that drove in two for a 2-0 Catholic lead.
After stranding two runners in each of the first three innings, the Green Wave’s small-ball approach allowed them to plate a run in the top of the fourth inning. Nick Wilson started the inning with a single up the middle and advanced to both second and third on a pair of fielders’ choices before scoring on a Zack Carter single to right field.
The Aces added a run in the bottom of the third when Wiman secured his second base hit of the day. Evans led off for the Aces with a single to right field before advancing to second on a walk and scoring on the Wiman base hit. Meade County escaped the inning on a double-play thanks to a diving catch in left field by Dylan Abell that doubled up the runner on second.
A potential rally for the Green Wave in the top of the sixth inning was ended on tag play that resulted in an out at home. Zack Lembach was hit by a pitch and scored on the lone double of the evening by Nate Wilson.
Catholic advances to the semifinals at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, when they face Muhlenberg County, who beat Butler County 5-3 in Monday’s quarterfinal.
“We’re going to get their best tomorrow,” Hibbs said. “Our guys have done pretty well staying grounded and taking a grounded approach to everything, and we just have to keep doing that.”
MCHS 000-101-0—2-8-0
OCHS 021-004-X—7-11-2
WP: Grant. LP: Lee. 2B: Wilson (M).
