Breds split two at Hometown/McDonald’s Invitational

Harrison Co. jumped out in front early, driving across two runs in the bottom of the first frame. Senior Elijah Harris opened by reaching on a walk. After a stolen base by Harris, senior Cliffy McIlvain then laid down a sacrifice bunt that was misplayed by the Jaguars’ pitcher who threw the ball wide of his first baseman for an error. Junior Jashon Lewis loaded the bases with nobody out when he reached on a base on balls. One out later, senior Mason Smiley was hit by a pitch, bringing home Harris with the first run of the game. Senior Corey Vaughn put the Breds up 2-0 when he lofted a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring McIlvain.

In the top of the fourth, Cooper turned that two-run deficit into a two-run lead with a four-run inning.

Harrison Co. knotted the score at 4-4 with two runs in the bottom of the fourth. After the first two batters were retired, senior Kaydon Custard was walked. Sophomore Blake Green followed with a single down the right field line, putting runners on first and third. Harris then ripped a single to right field, scoring both runners and tying the contest at four apiece.

The Jaguars recaptured the lead with a run in the top of the sixth. Senior Cohen Stone reached base when he was hit by a pitch with one out. After Stone stole second, senior Quincy Dillon pounded an RBI double to left field. Stone crossed the plate making the score 5-4.

In the bottom half of that same inning, the Breds got that run back. With two outs, Green reached on an infield hit. Harris then connected on a base knock that crawled through the hole between first and second. Green tied the game at 5-5 when he scored after the Cooper pitcher slipped fielding a bouncer between home and the mound and threw the ball wildly allowing McIlvain to reach on the error.

In the decisive seventh frame, Cooper scored the go-ahead runs. With two outs, Nowak reached on a single to begin the rally. With Smith at the plate, Nowak stole second to move into scoring position. After Smith was intentionally passed, Nowak took off for third on a steal attempt. The throw from Harrison Co. catcher Brian Vaughn was well wide of Mason Smiley at thirdbase, allowing Nowak to score the tie-breaking run with Smith advancing to second base on the play. Keaton Conrad drove in an insurance run with a single to right field that put the Jaguars on top 7-5.

The Breds gave themselves a chance to at least tie the contest in the bottom half of the seventh, loading the bases after the first two batters were retired. Unfortunately, Custard struck out to snuff the rally, giving Cooper the 7-5 victory and extending Harrison Co.’s losing streak to three in a row.

The Breds played much better later in the afternoon when they faced Breathitt Co. Harrison Co. scored 10 runs on 12 hits as they clobbered the Bobcats 10-0. Sophomore Donavan Walker had a break-out game going 3-for-3 with two doubles and four RBI. Meanwhile, senior Braxton Grubb pitched his second straight solid start, scattering eight hits and striking out three Breathitt Co. batters while walking no one. Only one runner reached third base in the complete game shutout.

The Breds got all the runs they would need in a two-run second inning. Lewis led off the frame by picking up a walk. After advancing to second base with a stolen base, Lewis reached third courtesy of a sacrifice bunt laid down by sophomore Cooper Slade. Walker then doubled down the right field line, scoring Lewis with the first run of the contest. Walker would score as well later in the frame when McIlvain lined a two-out RBI single through the left side of the infield, staking Harrison Co. a 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the second, the Breds added two more runs. Corey Vaughn hit a liner into the left center field gap that turned into a two-bagger leading off the inning. One out later, Lewis got another free pass when he was hit by a pitch. That brought Walker back to the plate and once again he responded, this time with a two-run double down the left field line that plated both runners extending Harrison Co.’s lead to 4-0.

Walker increased the Breds’ advantage to 5-0 in the fifth frame, driving in Lewis who had walked earlier in the inning.

Harrison Co. wrapped up its 10-0 triumph in the sixth with five runners crossing the dish. Harris, Lewis and junior Brian Vaughn had run-scoring base hits in the decisive inning.

The Breds evened up their record at 6-6 while the Bobcats saw their record fall to 7-8.