Prestonsburg, Ky. –– Gray Derifield singled home two runs in the top of the seventh inning to help Lawrence Co. ( 23-10 ) to a 3-2 victory over Pikeville ( 16-15 ) in the semifinals of the 15th Region baseball tournament on Wednesday at Stonecrest Sports Park.
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Gray Derifield cuts the runner down at home to kill a Pikeville rally.
Trailing 2-1 in the top of the seventh Brady Caudill drew a walk with one out and Max Murriell ran for him, Owen Pack had a pinch hit single and CJ Whitt ran for him, Cam Perkins laid down a beautiful bunt to move the runners up 90 feet and Gray Derifield singled to centerfield to score both runners to give the Dawgs a 3-2 lead and eventual victory.
#9 Colin Howard gets congratulated by first base coach Julius Music after a single.
In the bottom of the seventh Pikeville put the first two batters on but Whisenant induced a grounder to Derifield who got the lead runner at third, another grounder to Derifield who got the force at second and the a ground ball to Fletcher at third who fired across the diamond to Colin Howard to end the ballgame.
The Bulldogs had seven hits with Derifield collecting two, Eli Fletcher, Tygar Cavins, Colin Howard, Logan Whisnant and Owen Pack one hit each.
Logan Whisenant moved to 5-2 on the year with three innings of relief. Whisenant allowed zero runs, two hits and struck out two. He also doubled and scored the first Bulldog run on a wild pitch.
Braxton Davis started and went the first four innings, allowed two earned runs and five hits while striking out three.
Coach Feltner talks to his team in between innings of the semifinal game vs Pikeville.
The Bulldogs will play Johnson Central ( 28-7 ) for the 15th Region Championship at 6:00 Thursday after the Golden Eagles beat Floyd Central 5-1 in the second semifinal on Wednesday night.
Johnson Central has beaten the Dawgs three times this season. On April 10th in the Class 2A Section at Stonecrest 5-4. On April 18th in Paintsville 11-9 and in Louisa 12-2 on May 7th which was also the last time the Bulldogs lost a game.
Cam Perkins camps under a fly ball against Pikeville.
Lawrence Co. Head Coach Travis Feltner
COACH’S COMMENTS
“… All the guys you just mentioned are studs, from Brady Caudill walking, Owen Pack another pinch hit knock, Cam Perkins hit them over and Gray Derifield got them in. But the biggest studs we got is the nine playing defense and that is just facts. If we win the region tournament it’s gonna be because we are the best defensive team here by far. That is why I am in love with this team. That is just baseball, our group has put the work in and have gotten better each day and I love coaching them.”
“… These guys with so much heart and focus it’s a really fun bunch to coach. Braxton ( Davis ) and Logan ( Whisenant ) did the job that we need to get done. Tip your hat to both guys. They had a tremendous inning building a couple of times and those guys limited the damage. They executed pitches and are defense made the plays behind them.”
