A breakdown of all four teams in Kentucky high school baseball’s semifinals
There are just three games left in the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Baseball State Tournament presented by UK HealthCare, with semifinals scheduled Friday at the University of Kentucky’s Kentucky Proud Park.
Here’s a look at the semifinals matchups with some highlights of how each team stacks up. Rankings are according to the final PrepBaseballReport.com/KHSBCA Power 25 of the regular season.
Russell County vs. Woodford County
First pitch: 12:30 p.m. Friday.
Ranks and records: No. 17 Russell County (30-6); Woodford County (26-13).
On the bump: Russell Co. — Cody Luttrell (12-0, 70.2 IP, 132 Ks, 11 BB, 0.50 ERA), Nathan Lawson (10-2, 66 IP, 115 Ks, 20 BB, 0.85 ERA); Woodford Co. — Cole Dycus (9-1, 65 IP, 98 Ks, 26 BB, 0.97 ERA), Landon Corum (5-2, 46.2 IP, 34 Ks, 16 BB, 1.95), Taylor Penn (5-1, 44 IP, 37 Ks, 6 BB, 1.59 ERA).
Big hitters: Russell Co. — Lawson (.464 AVG, 12 HR, 31 R, 45 RBI), Isaac Roy (.427 AVG, 2 HR, 11 R, 30 RBI), Trace Stringer (.345 AVG, 1 HR, 24 R, 22 RBI), Mayes Gosser (.386 AVG, 2 HR, 31 R, 17 RBI), Nick Aaron (.352 AVG, 13 R, 19 RBI); Woodford Co. — Collin Kemp (.359 AVG, 20 R, 32 RBI), Bryce Patterson (.357 AVG, 4 HR, 34 R, 29 RBI), Penn (.386 AVG, 10 R, 23 RBI), Brandon Rankin (.287 AVG, 3 HR, 33 R, 15 RBI).
College commits: Russell Co. — Lawson (Eastern Kentucky); Woodford Co. — Bryce Patterson (Morehead State football).
Win streaks: Russell Co. — 8; Woodford Co. — 7.
Prior meeting: These two programs last met in 2013.
Tournament history: Russell Co. — 3-2 in three appearances; first appearance since 1968. Woodford Co. — 2012 champion; 6-0 in two appearances.
Notes: Russell County pitchers shut down two of the state’s top 10 offenses in this tournament, topping Madison Central 2-1 and Beechwood 1-0. Beechwood had the state’s best team batting average. Madison Central ranked sixth in that stat.
McCracken County vs. St. Xavier
First pitch: 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Ranks and records: No. 1 McCracken County (35-6); No. 3 St. Xavier (32-10).
On the bump: McCracken Co. — Jack Bennett (8-1 59.1 IP, 78 Ks, 15 BB, 1.42 ERA), Ross Aldridge (6-1, 52.2 IP, 63 Ks, 28 BB, 2.66 ERA); St. Xavier — Benjamin Tedesco (6-1, 50 IP, 60 Ks, 14 BB, 1.12 ERA), Jake Gregor (4-3, 49.2 IP, 43 Ks, 16 BB, 2.82 ERA), Ty Starke (7-0, 43.1 IP, 64 Ks, 22 BB, 1.13 ERA), Ben Purnell (7-0, 36.1 IP, 24 Ks, 15 BB, 0.96 ERA).
Big hitters: McCracken Co. — Bennett (.466 AVG, 8 HR, 39 R, 35 RBI), Nate Lang (.412 AVG, 3 HR, 34 R, 43 RBI), Miller Green (.331 AVG, 1 HR, 35 R, 27 RBI) Cooper Ford (.330 AVG, 3 HR, 22 R, 17 RBI), Zach Sims (.280 AVG, 2 HR, 16 R, 30 RBI); St. Xavier — Cooper Smith (.450 AVG, 3 HR, 52 R, 27 RBI), Jacob Bennett (.434 AVG, 13 HR, 18 R, 64 RBI), Landon Akers (.262 AVG, 1 HR, 40 R, 20 RBI), Gregor (.300 AVG, 1 HR, 14 R, 29 RBI), Zach Marks (.316 AVG, 35 R, 16 RBI), Jack Thompson (.325 AVG, 16 R, 13 RBI).
College commits: McCracken Co. — Bennett (Western Kentucky), Aldridge (Louisville); St. Xavier — Lantz (Yale), Starke (Louisville), Gregor (Louisville).
Win streaks: McCracken Co. — 13; St. Xavier — 5.
Prior meeting: St. Xavier defeated McCracken County 5-2 on May 7.
Tournament history: McCracken Co. — 2021 runners-up; 12-7 in seven appearances; St. Xavier — eight-time champs; 35-10 in 18 appearances.
Notes: McCracken County has never missed a state baseball tournament since the school was formed in 2013. The Mustangs have been runners-up twice. St. Xavier’s eight titles are two more than the next closest teams. Bennett’s 64 RBI is tops in the state this year.
State baseball tournament
Where: UK’s Kentucky Proud Park
Tickets: Purchase online at gofan.co/app/school/KHSAA
Video stream: Games available PPV via go.prepspin.com or by subscription at KHSAA.tv
Audio steam: mixlr.com/khsaa/events/
Friday’s semifinals
Listed above: 12:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Saturday’s finals
7 p.m.: Semifinals winners
This story was originally published June 8, 2022 at 6:20 AM.
