Catholic uses timely hits to tame Apollo in 9th District tilt

May 6, 2021 | 12:05 am

Updated May 6, 2021 | 1:35 am

Tyler Dixon | Owensboro Times

Owensboro Catholic was originally supposed to play in the All “A” Classic State Championship on Wednesday but with the field at Louisville Holy Cross being deemed unplayable by school officials, the All “A” final is rescheduled once again but the Aces were able to pick up a game as they hosted Apollo in a 9th District showdown at Chautauqua Park.

The first three innings were a pitcher’s duel between Owensboro Catholic’s Finley Munsey and Apollo’s Tristin Crusenberry but it was Munsey that held firm as the game went on.

“Crusenberry threw well,” Catholic coach Derek Hibbs said. “He had good velocity today. Those first three innings, one thing our guys did was make him throw a lot of pitches. I think through the first he was close to 100 but stuff wise, he was good. Keeping guys off balance.”

The Eagles struck first in the top of the third when Aiden Wells scored on a wild pitch to give Apollo its first run of the game and the lead but that’d be the only lead they’d have.

Catholic stranded the bases loaded in the third but they wouldn’t make the same mistake in the bottom of the fourth when Luke Evans cleared the bases on a double to right-center. The Aces added another in the frame to take a 4-1 lead after four.

“That doubled loosened us up a little bit,” Hibbs said. 

Catholic added one in the fifth and three in the bottom of the sixth while E Munsey threw the final frame to close out the game as he struck out the side.

Finley Munsey finished with nine strikeouts and one earned run on four hits in six innings of work while.

“We wanted to play,” Hibbs said. “We were a little flat early. It’s tough when you have that motivation for a big game like you were supposed to play and facing a good pitcher like that, he took advantage of us kind of starting flat and threw well. I definitely liked how we answered then added some on there to give Finley some support. We’ll always take a district win, Apollo is a good baseball team and anytime you can beat a good team like that, it’s nice.”

Evans (1-3, 3 RBIs, 2 R, 2B) Luke Scales (2-4, 2 RBIs, R), E Munsey (1-3, RBI) and John Michael Frey (2 R) led the Aces at the plate.

Apollo coach Mason Head and his team hit the field Wednesday after two weeks off due to Covid and while they started well, they couldn’t keep it going.

“Clean is my word,” he said. “We had a clean start, didn’t have a clean finish. That sums it up. First three innings were about as clean as it gets. Last 2.5/3 innings, not clean at all.”

Nolan Millay led the Eagles as he went 2-3 while Tanner Klee and Josh Mayes also had hits in the loss.

With still a few weeks until postseason play, Head said they’re trying to find their identity.

“I told the guys we’re looking for a style of play. We didn’t see it tonight,” he said. “Our style of play is not what I saw tonight. We’ve seen glimpses of it this season. We can glimpses of it tonight even but top to bottom, tonight was not the style of play that we expect ourselves to play.”

Apollo hits the field again today as they take on Daviess County while Catholic takes on the Panthers on Friday.

Hibbs and the Aces are still in the dark about when they’ll play their All “A” Classic State Championship game but he said whenever it is, they’ll be ready.

“Both coaches keep emailing saying we want to get this in,” he said. “Whatever it takes .. We want a chance to add that banner. That’s one of our big goals for the year and we’re close, we want to actually play it.”

Tyler Dixon | Owensboro Times

May 6, 2021 | 12:05 am

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