By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Newport Central Catholic baseball coach Jeff Schulkens enjoyed watching his players throw their gloves up in the air and crash into each other for a victory celebration after getting the final out in a 4-3 extra-inning win over Beechwood in the 9th Region All “A” Classic championship game on Tuesday at UC Health Stadium in Florence.
The last time the Thoroughbreds had a reason to rejoice like that was 2013 when they won the small-school state tournament. NewCath lost 20 or more games each of the last three seasons without taking any titles, so the coach was glad to see the good times return.
“We’ve had a rough couple of years, but there’s some great leadership on this team with the five seniors we have,” Schulkens said. “We’re a blue-collar team. We battled and battled and found a way to win the ball game.”
After being limited to one run on two hits in the first six innings, NewCath scored three runs on four hits in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to come way with the victory.
A run-scoring double by junior Kyle Losey with two out in the top of the ninth gave the Thoroughbreds a 4-3 lead. In the bottom of the ninth, NewCath relief pitcher Noah Yeager gave up a walk with one out that put the tying run on base and then retired the next two batters on long fly balls.
“It was a very good game,” Schulkens said. “It’s much better being on (the winning) end of it, but it was a good ball game no matter what. We made a couple of mental mistakes and had one error that cost us a run. But we always tell our guys, ‘You’re going to make mistakes, just don’t show your emotions and handle the adversity.’ And that’s just what they did.”
The win ended Beechwood’s three-year run of 9th Region All “A” Classic baseball titles. The Tigers also won two of the last three small-school state tournaments.
NewCath will play the winner of the 10th Region All “A” Classic in a sectional playoff game to determine a berth in this year’s eight-team state tournament that’s scheduled for May 8-9 at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington.
NewCath’s winning pitcher in the region final was senior right-hander Brian Wells, who gave up three runs on nine hits in eight innings. Wells, who had his 18th birthday on Tuesday, said four innings was the longest he pitched in any previous outing.
“Coach just said, ‘Pitch well. Throw it over the plate and make Beechwood hit it and let our defense field it,'” Wells said. “That gives a pitcher the most confidence in the world, knowing that your defense will makes plays for you.”
Beechwood senior starting pitcher Noah Huesman gave up only one run on two hits in six innings of work. But coach Bob Mullins sent junior relief pitcher Nick Jackman to the mound in the seventh inning with the Tigers holding a 2-1 lead.
NewCath’s leadoff hitter that inning was Jason Decker, who legged out an infield single on a high chopper over the mound. Decker advanced to third base on two pitches that got past Beechwood’s catcher and scored the tying run on a pitch that went into the dirt and rolled beneath the catcher’s legs.
In the eighth inning. NewCath took a 3-2 lead on a run-scoring single by Decker and Beechwood tied it with a run-scoring single by Huesman. That set the stage for Losey’s double off Beechwood relief pitcher Jarius Wilder in the ninth. The ball split the gap in left-center field and allowed Hunter Cain to score the game’s deciding run.
“I just saw he hung the curve ball,” Losey said of his game-winning hit. “You hang it, we bang it. It might have been the farthest ball I’ve ever hit.”
NEWCATH 000 100 111 — 4 6 1
BEECHWOOD 010 010 010 — 3 9 1
WP — Wells. LP — Wilder. HITTING LEADERS: NC — Losey 2B; Pangallo 2B; Smith 2-4, 2B; Decker 2-3. B — Odom 2-3; Doverspike 2B; Wilder 2-4, 3B. RECORDS: NewCath 7-5; Beechwood 9-3.
That photographer is AWESOME! Really caught their excitement!