Don’t look now, but the University Heights Academy Blazers are two wins away from the Touchstone Energy All “A” Baseball Tournament championship.
Behind the solid pitching of senior Jaiden Miles, the seventh-ranked Blazers defeated No. 10 Owensboro Catholic 6-1 Saturday in the tournament quarterfinals at Daviess County High School.
It is the first time that UHA (17-3) has advanced this far in the State All “A” Baseball Classic. They fell in their previous two chances, the last time in 2016.
The Aces were dealt a bad hand from the beginning as Miles kept them hitless for the first three innings. By that time, the Blazers led 3-0.
Ryan Luckey led off the bottom of the first by reaching on a three-base error. After Cadence Gibson was hit by a pitch, Hayden Hunt singled home Luckey for a 1-0 advantage. Cadence Gibson later came in to score on a ground out by his brother, Courtland Gibson for a 2-0 advantage.
In the third, Luckey led off the frame with a double down the right field line. After Cadence Gibson singled to move Luckey to third, Hunt hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Luckey for a 3-0 advantage.
The Blazers made it 4-0 in the bottom of the fifth as Luckey and Cadence Gibson were both hit by a pitch and after a strikeout, AJ Hogart was walked to load the bases. Courtland Gibson’s fly ball to left field was misplayed and Luckey scored on the play.
Thomas Hallmark relieved Miles in the top of the sixth inning and the Aces finally found home plate. Mason Russelberg was hit by a pitch and went to third on a single by Jake Murphy. Jaxon White’s sacrifice fly scored Russelberg to cut the lead to 4-1. Hallmark induced a flyout to Josh Pace to end the threat.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hallmark was hit by a pitch and Chase Cook entered as a courtesy runner. Pace placed a bunt down the first base line that was misplayed allowing Pace to reach base. Cadence Gibson hit into a fielder’s choice and Cook scored to make it 5-1. Gibson stole second base and moved to third on an error. He would score on a passed ball to push the lead to 6-1.
Bryson Turner entered in the top of the seventh and allowed two batters to reach base. But he struck out Mason Moser and got Russellberg to ground out to end the game.
The Blazers only had four hits with Luckey collecting two of those. Cadence Gibson and Hunt also had singles for UHA.
Miles picked up the pitching win, striking out eight and allowing only two hits over five innings. Turner earned the save.
The Blazers will take on No. 21-ranked Campbellsville at 10:30 a.m. Sunday in the semifinals. Airtime for the game will be at 10:15 a.m. on 95.3 The Farm and 953thefarm.com. The first semifinal is set for 8 a.m. and will feature Lexington Christian against Beechwood.
The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m., and all games will be played at Daviess County High School.
Tickets are $10 and must be purchased at Gofan.com.
Score by Innings:
Owensboro Catholic 000 001 0 – 1 4 5
University Heights 201 012 x – 6 4 1
WP – Miles (5 IP, 8 SO, 2 BB)
LP – Hundley
Leading Hitters: UHA – Luckey (2B, 1B), Ca. Gibson (1B), Hunt (1B).
File Photo/Lorie Maxwell