By MICHAEL CHILDERS, CJ Correspondent
Commonwealth Journal
Somerset —
The Southeastern Lexington All-Stars put themselves into a hole early in the East Kentucky 13-Year-Old Babe Ruth State Tournament after losing their opening round contest to the Somerset-Pulaski County All-Stars on Thursday night. Since that night, Southeastern reeled off two consecutive wins to get another shot at Somerset-Pulaski - this time in the loser’s bracket finals on Sunday afternoon at Pulaski County High School.
Southeastern was a totally different squad than Somerset-Pulaski faced three days earlier. In that game, Southeastern had two hits while committing four errors. In Sunday’s contest, Southeastern banged out five hits and had zero errors. More importantly, Southeastern won Sunday’s contest by a score of 2-1 to advance to the State Championship game.
The visiting team - Southeastern - jumped out front 2-0 in the top of the opening frame with three hits. Connor O’Neil led off the game with a double down the left field line. With two outs, Chase Boling singled, scoring O’Neil. Boling would score on a Somerset-Pulaski error, to put Southeastern ahead 2-0.
Somerset-Pulaski would scored their only run of the contest in the bottom of the second frame. Vince Boils and John Wilson both had singles to begin the inning. Boils would score on a Jesse Whitaker groundout, lessening the Southeastern to a mere run at 2-1.
Neither team would have a runner cross home plate for the remainder of the contest. From here on out, this game turned into a pitcher’s duel, as both teams combined for seven hits over the next five innings.
Somerset-Pulaski would get a runner on-base in the repeatedly in the remaining innings but could never get one around to score.
Carrender, the starting pitcher for Somerset-Pulaski, simply shut down Southeastern for the remainder of the contest.
Somerset-Pulaski got one last crack at Southeastern in the bottom of the seventh inning. After losing to South Lexington a day earlier in the bottom of the seventh, Somerset-Pulaski wanted to do some heartbreaking of their own.
Chris Henderlight singled to begin Somerset-Pulaski’s final chance. Devin Mayne came into the game to pinch-run for Henderlight. Things looked good for Somerset-Pulaski - a runner on first base with no outs. However, things went south for Somerset-Pulaski as three consecutive outs later, it was over, as Mayne was left stranded on third base. That is how the contest ended, with the tying run on third base.
Southeastern won the contest won by a final score of 2-1, advancing to the championship game.
Carrender and Jacob Pelston led the way for Somerset-Pulaski with two hits apiece.
Dima Ballard, of Southeastern, went the distance in this one. Ballard pitched all seven innings, giving up eight hits on one run.
Carrender pitched a dandy on Sunday afternoon, striking out five batters in six innings on the hill. Wilson finished the game out for the home team, striking out one in as many innings.
The loss eliminated Somerset-Pulaski from the tournament, while Southeastern advanced to the championship contest, where they lost to South Lexington in the finals.
SEL 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 - 2 5 0
SP 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 - 1 8 3
WP- Ballard (SEL).
LP- Carrender (SP).
RBI- Boling (SEL). Whitaker (SP).
2B- O’Neil, Jiunta (SEL).
