DevilMayCare

Sounds like a classic. The fine details of baseball seem magnified 10× compared to other sports. The series of events following the pop-up in the bottom of the 10th - Washington base runners blanking on the infield fly rule and LaRue's quick thinking and execution to secure the outs at home and third - are a perfect example.

East has been raking all year, but the story here is the zero in the run column by Boyd County. Andrew Tomolonis was dealing from the mound, as he's done all season for the Raiders. @16thBBall Fan, your guys had Boyd's number this year. This team might surprise some people in Lexington.

The Knights (🛡, 26-11, PBR #15) get a complete game shutout from ace Brody Rogers to ground the Flyers (🦅, 18-20) and repeat as R11 champions.

The Hawks (🇳🇮, 19-17) survive a 15 inning marathon with the Commanders (🇹🇰, 14-15) to repeat as champs of R5. Any details on this one @5thregionbasketball? I can't imagine anyone had this as the 5th Region final. The co-favorites (Taylor County and Central Hardin) went down in flames in the semis.

Trace Stringer went the distance on the mound and scored three runs of his own against the Raiders (🇺🇦, 24-15) to help propel Russell County (⚓, 30-10) to the school's second region title in three years.

The Panthers (🐾, 25-9) sweep the season series 3-0 against Prestonsburg (🇦🇱, 16-21) to end the Blackcats' cinderella bid. Pikeville claimed the program's 11th region title in style, plating five runs in the B6 to trigger the mercy rule.

Muhlenberg (🐎, 28-8, PBR #18) opened O-Cath's season with a loss in their only regular season meeting, but the Aces (♠️, 29-7, PBR #11) close the Mustangs' year to claim their third region crown in four years.

The fourth time was the charm for Hoptown (🐯, 22-9). After losing the first three encounters with UH (25-12) this season, the Tigers get the last laugh in the R2 final. This is Hopkinsville's first region title since 2019.

The Mustangs (🐎, 31-9, PBR #3) exact revenge on the Blue Tornado (🌀, 25-14) after Tilghman downed the WKY juggernaut eight days ago for the district title. McCracken has won every R1 baseball championship since the school's inaugural season in 2014.

Players To Watch Blake Hall (East Carter) - State leader in RBIs (51) and slugging percentage (1.130%). Led the region in batting average (.493) and home runs (10). JK McKnight (Boyd County) - Led the Lions in batting average (.467) and the region in hits (49). Peyton Jackson, Ryan Brown, and Grant Slater (Boyd County) - All three pitchers sport sub 1.00 ERAs, allowing a combined 11 earned runs in 121 innings pitched. Hayden Mains (Rowan County) - Vikings leader in batting average (.449) and RBIs (44). Brayden Webb (Raceland) - Rams leader in home runs (8) and RBIs (39). Pitched a team high 54.1 innings with a 1.93 ERA.

Boyd County's body of work installs them as the favorite, perhaps a prohibitive one. Raceland, Rowan County, and East Carter will pose various challenges for the Lions. Raceland has won two of the last three region titles, Rowan is a perennial contender, and East is responsible for one of Boyd's three losses.

First round games are scheduled for Monday (Memorial Day). Semifinals are scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30pm and 8:00pm. Finals are slated for Wednesday at 6:00pm. All games are being hosted by Russell High School. Top Half Boyd County (🦁, 29-3, PBR #2) vs. Fleming County (🐾, 13-20) at 10:00am Raceland (🐏, 29-7) vs. West Carter (☄️, 9-15) at 1:00pm Bottom Half Rowan County (🇬🇫, 28-7) vs. Greenup County (🇯🇲, 16-22) at 4:00pm East Carter (🇫🇷, 19-6) vs. Ashland (🇱🇻, 9-25) at 7:00pm

Never heard of them before today. If MaxPreps is accurate, they've been pretty terrible for the last 15 years or so. Haven't won a game since 2021. They're located in Melrose Park, about 40 minutes west of Chicago. They're coming an awful long way for what looks like a complete mismatch on paper. I'd be interested to know how this game came about, if any Card fans are in the know? @Quiet_Storm11 @Redheat

2024 Schedule Aug 9 vs. Bowling Green (Scrimmage) Aug 16 at Central (Scrimmage) Aug 23 vs. Franklin County at Great Crossing (Battle of Elkhorn Creek) Aug 30 vs. Great Crossing Sep 6 vs Walther Christian Academy (IL) Sep 13 vs Boyle County Sep 20 vs. Madison Central Sep 27 at Collins* Oct 4 at Anderson County* Oct 11 vs. South Oldham* Oct 18 vs. Woodford County* Oct 25 - BYE Nov 1 vs. Lexington Catholic *District

Notes • This is the final Prep Baseball Report Top 25 for Kentucky this season, as the postseason gets underway. • The entire top ten is intact from last week. • Trinity (☘) is the wire-to-wire regular season #1. Their only loss to an in-state opponent so far, was to #10 Frederick Douglass (🇨🇮) on 3/19. The Shamrocks are riding a 16 game win streak into postseason play. • One of last week's premier games pitted NKY's top two teams, #9 Covington Catholic (CC) and #17 Ryle (🏴‍☠️), in a pitcher's duel, with Ryle's #9 hitter ultimately deciding the outcome. The day belonged to Raiders pitcher Grant Ashcraft, until the game's final pitch. Ashcraft no-hit the Colonels through 5 ⅓ innings, but teammate Tate Cordrey stole the show with a walk-off, two run dinger to give Ryle the win. The Raiders were tied for the week's biggest mover, sliding up four slots from #21. • The other +4 mover was Owensboro Catholic (♠️), who come in one spot ahead of the Bowling Green squad they defeated last Thursday in another game of the week candidate. O-Cath pitchers Barrett Evans and Luke Quinn combined to allow the Purples three hits and no runs over seven innings to help edge BG, 2-0. • Last year's state champ is rounding into form as they officially begin their quest to repeat. Whitley County (🇾🇪) picked up a couple more wins to extend their run in the back half of the season to 17-2. • Woodford County (🐝) and Central Hardin (🐻) sneak onto the tail end of the Top 25. The Bruins were last seen in the preseason rankings at #21. Wofo has drifted in and out all season.