In the final game of the day in Owensboro, the Grayson County Cougar Baseball team’s upset bid fell short in a 7-6 loss to the Breckinridge County Tigers.
The Cougars got the scoring started in the first inning after senior Noah Bullock scored on an RBI base hit by Dain Hawkins.
After the first batter in the bottom half of the opening frame was retired on a fly out, the Tigers had three straight singles and a walk which scored one and loaded the bases. A hard hit ground ball to the shortstop Bullock hit off his glove and jumped into center field, allowing two runs to score, giving Breck their first lead at 3-1.
Caine Smith got the start for Grayson County and found his groove through the middle innings allowing one run on two hits which included striking out the side in the second.
Andrew Haycraft and Noah Brown led off the top of the fourth inning with back to back hits placing runners on the corners with no one out. The Breckinridge County defense proceeded to make back to back diving catches, one of which ended in a double play to get out of the inning without any damage.
The fifth inning was a different story for Tiger starting pitcher Isaac Seeger. The first three batters reached base with no one out. After an infield fly from Smith, Dain Hawkins singled into right field scoring two runs shrinking the deficit to only one.
Tiger head coach Jeremy Bennett made a move to a new pitcher in Brock Lucas. The junior only lasted two batters as Haycraft walked, Caden Woodcock scored on a wild pitch tying the game at 4, and Brown singled to center giving the Cougars the lead back at 5-4.
Bennett quickly made another move bringing in his star pitcher Preston Cottrell who retired the final two batters on only two pitches.
Smith continued his hot streak by retiring the first two batters in the bottom of the fifth, but then the floodgates opened. The next five Tiger batters reached base highlighted by a high chopper by Cole Tabor that just went over the outstretched glove of the third baseman Hawkins. The hit scored two and John Higdon scored on a passed ball giving Breck the lead back at 7-5.
Leading off the top of the sixth inning, Bullock just missed a home run over the left field wall instead having the ball smack off the wall for a double. On a Damon Simon fly out and a Briley Napier ground out, Bullock scored bringing the deficit to only one.
The junior Smith pitched out of a jam in the bottom of the sixth giving the Cougars one last chance to save the season. Hawkins led the inning off by grounding out and Breck’s Cottrell proceeded to strike out the final two batters looking to end the Cougars season.
Cottrell picked up the win in relief. He pitched 2.2 innings, allowing one hit, one run and striking out two.
Caine Smith was saddled with the loss pitching 6.0 innings, allowing 8 hits, 7 runs, only 5 of which were earned, 4 walks and striking out 5.
Dain Hawkins led the way with three RBI’s with Noah Brown, Damon Simon, and Noah Bullock all collecting multiple hits.
The loss ended the Cougars season with a record of 19-20 which was their most wins in a season since 2015.
By Sam Gormley, Play-By-Play Announcer/Local Sports
Reach Sam at sam@k105.com
