By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Beechwood’s baseball team has reached the championship game of the All “A” Classic small-school state tournament for the third time in five years. The Tigers will play Hazard in the title game at 5 p.m. Sunday at Whitaker Bank Bank in Lexington.
In the state tournament semifinal games played on Wednesday, Beechwood whipped Somerset, 12-2, in six innings and Hazard knocked off Raceland, 12-5.
Beechwood defeated Hazard, 4-0, in the final game of the 2016 All “A” Classic to claim its third small-school state baseball title. The Tigers also won the tournament in 2014 and 2006.
Hazard raised its record to 18-6 with the win over Raceland on Wednesday. The Bulldogs have posted double-digit run totals in 12 of their 18 victories.
Last year, Hazard won the 14th Region post-season tournament and lost in the opening round of state tournament to finish with a 30-9 record.
Beechwood has an 18-7 record after winning a district seeding game against Covington Catholic, 4-2, on Thursday. The Tigers will take a five-game winning streak into the Coach Connor Classic on Friday and Saturday before facing Hazard in the state championship game on Sunday.