By JON WEBB
Glasgow Daily Times
GLASGOW —
An early lead and a complete game from Brit Crabtree wasn’t enough for the South Central Babe Ruth League Barren County team, as the Trojans lost to Owensboro 7-1 at the Western Kentucky 15U state championship.
The loss came on the heels of a 4-2 Thursday night defeat to Warren County, dropping the Trojans to 0-2 in the tournament’s pool play. The two defeats marked the only blemishes on a previously perfect summer for Barren.
After a Luc Cook strikeout and ill-fated Crabtree bouncer up the middle opened the game, Barrett Billingsley walked and swiped second to move within scoring distance. An Alex Puleo infield single shoved Billingsley deeper into Owensboro territory before a wild pitch landed him on home and gave Barren a 1-0 advantage.
A chance to double said advantage through Puleo went by the wayside when Andy Highbaugh grounded to second to end the inning.
The initial lead didn’t deter Owensboro. Lead off batter Caleb Brand reached on an error, stole second and knotted the score thanks to Sean Pedley, who lofted a double deep into left field.
Due to a Jordan Haire pop out, Pedley soon found himself on third and was nearly picked off after Blaise Moore sent a line drive screaming down the infield’s right side. SC-Barren first baseman Alex Morgerson gloved the liner but missed on the potential pick off at third, allowing Moore to put Owensboro ahead 2-1. Another run in the top of the third notched Owensboro’s lead to 3-1.
Morgerson kicked off the top of the third with a walk, providing the Trojans with their first baserunner since the initial frame. A Cook bunt sent Morgerson to second and a Crabtree sacrifice landed him 90 feet away from scoring, but Owensboro starter Nick Small caused a groundout to cease the stanza.
Owensboro tossed in another run in the bottom of third after Walter Owens singled up the middle to cross Moore. Barren again put a runner on third in the top of the fourth thanks to a Puleo knock, sac groundout and passed ball. But any possible momentum didn’t materialize, as Small recorded back to back, inning-killing strikeouts.
Crabtree kept Owensboro off the board in the fourth, but watched his opponent add two scores in the fifth and another in the sixth to expand its lead to 7-1. Wyatt Price flared a single into centerfield in the midst of the top of the seventh, but remained on base when an SC-Barren strikeout sealed the win for Owensboro.
Barren continued state tournament pool play on Saturday with a 1 p.m. matchup against Okolona.
