By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Two key hits by sophomore Ethan Kavanagh and senior Sam Hennigan provided the runs Highlands needed to defeat South Oldham, 4-2, in the opening round of the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA state baseball tournament on Friday in Lexington.
With two out in the fourth inning, Kavanagh’s single through the left side knocked in a pair of runs to give the Bluebirds a 2-1 lead. In the sixth inning, Hennigan stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and drilled a two-run single up the middle that put the Bluebirds ahead, 4-1.
Highlands pitcher Drew Rom gave up a run in the seventh inning on a walk with bases loaded before getting the final out for the Bluebirds, who are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the state tournament.
South Oldham outfielder J.T. Benson led off the game with a home run and the Dragons got three of their fours hits in the first inning. Rom settled down after that and the senior left-hander finished with 10 strikeouts in seven innings.
Highlands (27-13) will play Paintsville (26-12) in a state quarterfinal game at 6 p.m. Saturday at Whitaker Bank Ball Park in Lexington. If the Bluebirds win that game, they’ll advance to the semifinals next weekend.
A local team made it to the state final each of the last four years, but none of them won the title. Highlands was state runner-up in 2015, lost in the first round of the 2016 state tournament and went 1-1 last year.
The 2018 season ended Friday for the other local teams who earned state tournament berths. McCracken County knocked off Campbell County, 14-3, in the opening round of the state baseball tournament and Louisville Butler defeated Ryle, 8-6, in the elimination bracket of the state softball tournament in Owensboro.
McCracken County got 13 hits in five innings off Campbell County pitchers. The Camels had seven hits with outfielder Brady Brooks going 2-for-3 with a double.
Ryle senior shortstop Maclai Branson went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in her final high school softball game. The University of Kentucky recruit gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the third inning and delivered a two-run single in the sixth inning.
Butler scored five runs on four hits and two errors in the fifth inning to open up a 6-1 lead. The Raiders answered by getting three runs in the last two innings, but their rally fell short.
In the last six state softball tournaments, 9th Region teams have posted a combined record of 4-12 in the double-elimination playoffs.
STATE BASEBALL TOURNAMENT
HIGHLANDS 4, SOUTH OLDHAM 2
WP — Rom (10 Ks). LP — LaBarbera. HITTING LEADERS: H — Kavanagh 2-3, 2 RBI; Fitters 2-3; Schwalbach 2-3; Hennigan 2 RBI. SO — Benson HR. RECORDS: Highlands 27-13, South Oldham 21-13.
McCRACKEN COUNTY 14, CAMPBELL COUNTY 3
WP — Ehling (7 Ks). LP — Werrmann. HITTING LEADERS: MC — Ellington 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI; Wheat 2-3; Dodd 2 RBI; Langston 2-2, 2B, 3 RBI; Dinsmore 2-3, 4 RBI; Waldron 2-2, 2B, Schneider HR. CC — Brooks 2-3, 2B. RECORDS: McCracken County 33-8, Campbell County 21-12.
STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
LOUISVILLE BUTLER 8, RYLE 6
WP — Werner (5 Ks). LP — Bishop. HITTING LEADERS: LB — Ziegler 2-3; Tinnell 2-3; Brock 2-3, 3 RBI; AS R — Branson 3-4, HR, 3 RBI; Tashijan 2-4; Morgan 2-3. RECORDS: Ryle 23-8. Butler 27-10.