By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Walton-Verona earned a berth in the eight-team All “A” Classic state baseball tournament for the fourth consecutive year by defeating Kentucky Country Day, 12-1, in a sectional final on Wednesday at Walton-Verona.
Starting pitcher Bronson Corpus and reliever Mason Howard combined for a no-hitter in the five inning game. Corpus had five strikeouts and gave up an unearned run in 3.2 innings. Howard got the last four outs with three coming on strikeouts. Both of the pitchers gave up one walk while they were on the mound.
Corpus also had a good day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. The sophomore raised his season batting average to .390 (16 of 41) and leads the team in both home runs (5) and RBI (21).
Senior outfielder Sawyer Webster also had two hits for the Bearcats. Sophomore shortstop William Hurles provided a triple and three RBI.
Walton-Verona has won its first four games in the All “A” Classic playoffs by double-digit margins in five innings or less. They now have an 11-5 record under first-year head coach Andrew Sien.
The All “A” Classic state baseball tournament will be played April 27-28 at Eastern Kentucky University. Walton-Verona will play Owensboro Catholic in the opening game at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 27.
In last year’s state semifinals, Walton-Verona got past Owensboro Catholic, 5-4, in 10 innings. But Lexington Sayre defeated the Bearcats, 7-2, in the title game.
Beechwood will visit Bracken County in another All “A” Classic sectional game on Saturday. The winner will advance to the state tournament and meet Sayre in the final first-round game at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, April 27. Semifinal games are scheduled for 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 28 with the championship game at 1 p.m.