By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Campbell County baseball coach Scott Schweitzer gave his players something to think about when they returned to practice this week to prepare for the team’s first trip to the state tournament since 1989.
“When you look at it, there’s 16 teams left,” Schweitzer said of the state tournament bracket. “There’s 12 or 13 teams that are probably just happy to be there, and then there’s three or four that are going there to win it. I keep looking at our guys and saying, ‘Which one do you identify with?’”
Campbell County (26-10) wasn’t ranked among the top 20 teams in the state when the playoffs started three weeks ago, but the Camels won the 10th Region tournament to earn one of 16 berths in the season finale that gets under way Thursday and Friday with first-round games at Whitaker Bank Ball Park in Lexington.
It will be interesting to see how the Campbell County players handle themselves when they make their state tournament debut against 3rd Region champion Ohio County (23-14) in the final first-round game on the schedule at 8:30 p.m. Friday.
“I feel like we can make a really good run,” said Campbell County senior infielder Connor Walsh. “Before every game, when we go out and take infield, we always say, ‘Stay focused, Stay positive.’ That’s become our slogan and we just need to stick with that because it’s working.”
With mostly first-year starters in the lineup, the Camels finished the regular season with a 21-10 record and then won five district and regional playoff games. They outscored those five playoff opponents, 59-4, and posted three shutouts, including a 10-0 win over Scott in the 10th Region final.
Walsh went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI in the regional final and was named most valuable player on the all-tournament team. He has a .370 batting average and team-high 14 extra-base hits going into the state tournament.
“I couldn’t have done anything without those guys out there,” Walsh said of his teammates. “They’ve motivated me and I’ve tried to motivate them. It’s just awesome how we’ve all come together. We’ve got great chemistry.”
The other .300 hitters in the Campbell County lineup are third baseman Cory Franzen (.374), first baseman Carson Plessinger (.347) and outfielders Dawson Hogan (.349), Ethan Kremer (.305) and Colton Hartig (.337).
Schweitzer said Hartig struggled with his hitting last year and dedicated a lot of time to improving his swing during the off-season.
“I think he struggled to hit .200 last year at the jayvee level as a sophomore and now he’s hitting nearly .340,” the coach said. “And he’s been our No. 2 pitcher who threw a one-hitter in the regional final.”
Alex Franzen leads the Campbell County pitching staff with a 10-3 record and 1.99 ERA. He has 102 strikeouts and 29 walks in 88 innings. Hartig has a 5-3 record and 2.33 ERA.
The coach wants everyone on his staff to pitch aggressively because he has confidence in his team’s fielding ability. The strategy has worked so well that he’s not going to change anything for the state tournament.
“In reality, I feel like any one of my guys I send to the mound is going to give us an opportunity to win,” Schweitzer said. “Of course, Alex and Colton do it at a much faster rate, but I think all of my pitchers are going to pitch to contact. They’re not going to walk too many so if we make the plays behind them we’re going to be OK.”
STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
(at Whitaker Bank Ball Park, Lexington)
THURSDAY’S GAMES – UPPER BRACKETT
HIGHLANDS vs. Johnson Central, 11 a.m.
McCracken County vs. Elizabethtown, 1:30 p.m.
Greenup County vs. Louisville St. Xavier, 6 p.m.
West Jessamine vs. Bowling Green, 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY’S GAMES – LOWER BRACKET
Hazard vs. North Laurel, 11 a.m.
Oldham County vs. Bullitt East, 1:30 p.m.
Scott County vs. Caldwell County, 6 p.m.
CAMPBELL COUNTY vs. Ohio County, 8:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAMES
Upper bracket quarterfinals, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Lower bracket quarterfinals, 6 and 8:30 p.m.
FRIDAY, JUNE 17
Upper bracket semifinal, 6 p.m.
Lower bracket semifinal, 8 p.m.
SATURDAY, JUNE 18
Championship game, 7 p.m.