Owensboro Catholic is looking to carry its momentum from an impressive Third Region Championship run when they take on offensive powerhouse Lyon County.
The Aces come off of a dominant performance against Ohio County, riding a five-run second and sixth inning to an 11-4 win.
It marked Owensboro Catholic’s first Third Region Championship since 2005, using major contributions from a slew of players.
Sam McFarland, Luke Evans, Braden Mundy and Luke Scales all registered multiple hits in the big win.
Third Region Player of the Year Luke Scales led the way with three hits and four RBIs, while Finley Munsey and McFarland both had two hits and three RBIs.
On the other hand, the Lyons defeated Henderson County 6-0 to grab the Second Region Championship, thanks to an outstanding performance on the mound from Jackson Shoulders. He tossed a complete-game shutout, only allowing four hits and striking out four in the process.
Not to mention he got plenty of support offensively, with seven players registering a hit. He also hit a homerun himself and was joined by teammate Brody Williams in the long ball department.
Lyon County comes into the matchup with an overall record of 28-7, winning eight straight. Their offense has been the mainstay, as they have only had seven games this season in which they didn’t score more than five runs.
Head Coach Derek Hibbs knows that in this survive-and-advance mode they must take on, mistakes can be costly. Especially on the mound against a team that poses a massive offensive threat.
“Lyon County has a deep lineup and can swing it well 1 through 9,” Hibbs said. “They also have a couple players with strong power potential. We will need to execute pitches on the mound to limit their offense.”
While their offense is crucial to their wins, the Lyons have plenty of depth in their rotation, so the Aces will have to be patient at the plate in order to succeed.
“We are looking to take the same approach we have over the course of the season during the semi state game versus Lyon County,” Hibbs said. “Eliminate free bases and mistakes on defense. Make opposing pitchers and defenses work at the plate.”
While the Lyons depth is concerning, the Aces have counted on their own depth all season long. That being said, Hibbs expects a high-level baseball game and believes that they have the ability to advance past this weekend.
“Each team is riding good momentum into the state tournament,” Hibbs said. “In order to advance, we need to keep the same approach we have all season. Our strength is our depth, and if we continue to play together and have faith in one another, our group can move forward. The most crucial aspect in the game for us Saturday is limiting walks and errors. If we play a clean game on defense, we trust our offense to push runs across the board to outscore any opponent.”
Hibbs won’t be able to attend the game after being ejected against Hancock County on June 6, forcing him to serve a three-game suspension. Hibbs chose to appeal the decision, but declined to give further comment.
While he can’t be there, after the postseason being non-existent because of COVID-19 last year, Hibbs and his team are just excited to be able to compete amongst the best in the state.
“In 2019, we reached the regional tournament for the first time in over a decade, but just came up short of the title,” Hibbs said. “In 2020, We were looking forward to the challenge of trying to take the next step, as were other teams, but we were all disappointed to not get the opportunity because of COVID. However, our team did not let the disappointment overcome us. We continued to work, looking forward to the opportunity to come again, and when it did our team ensured we did take that next step. It has been a great season in 2021, and we look forward to try to extend it for one more week.”
Owensboro Catholic will take on Lyon County at Nick Denes Field at Western Kentucky University on Saturday, at 3 p.m.
