By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Walton-Verona and Simon Kenton lost semifinal games in the 8th Region baseball tournament on Friday when the two teams scored a combined total of one run in their season finales at the University of Louisville.
In the first game, North Oldham defeated Walton-Verona, 6-1, behind a strong pitching performance by freshman Ryan Sanders, who has a 5-0 record this spring.
Walton-Verona senior Nick Allen
Making its first appearance in the region semifinals since 2016, Walton-Verona took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a lead-off single by senior Nick Allen and run-scoring double by junior Evan Kerns. But Sanders limited the Bearcats to just one hit over the final six innings.
The Mustangs (28-7) went ahead 4-1 in the bottom of the first with a two-run single by senior Chase Edmonds among the team’s five consecutive hits. The score remained the same until the bottom of the fifth when junior Chance Edmonds hit a two-run homer to extend the Mustangs’ lead to 6-1.
Walton-Verona finished the season with a 22-10-1 record. North Oldham also knocked off the Bearcats in the 2021 and 2018 region tournaments.
Woodford County blanked Simon Kenton, 12-0, in the second semifinal game with winning pitcher Cole Dycus getting the shutout to improve on the 0.74 earned run average he compiled in 11 previous starts.
The Yellow Jackets (23-13) scored the game’s first run in the second inning and opened up a 4-0 lead on sophomore Collin Kemp’s three-run double down the left field line in the fourth. One inning later, the Yellow Jackets went ahead 9-0 before a rain delay halted the game.
When the game resumed, Woodford County scored three more runs to take a 12-0 lead. The Pioneers weren’t able to score in the bottom of the fifth and umpires ended the game according to the mercy rule.
Simon Kenton finishes the season with a 20-12-1 record. The Pioneers have a 1-4 record in 8th Region tournament games since winning the 2017 title.
The 9th Region baseball tournament will resume Saturday with three games at Thomas More Stadium in Florence. Campbell County will play George Rogers Clark in the 10th Region championship game at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Harrison County High School.
The first two games of the 10th Region softball tournament on Saturday will be Campbell County vs. George Rogers Clark at noon and Brossart vs. Bracken County at 2 p.m. in Mount Sterling.
The opening round of the 9th Region softball tournament will be on Sunday with Villa Madonna at Highlands, Cooper at Notre Dame, Newport Central Catholic at Dixie Heights and Beechwood at Ryle. The game at Highlands will begin at noon and the others are set for 1 p.m.
Baseball region tournament games
9TH REGION AT THOMAS MORE STADIUM, FLORENCE
Saturday
Beechwood vs. Dixie Heights, 2 p.m.
Highlands vs. St. Henry, 5 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic vs. Beechwood-Dixie Heights winner, 7 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game 3 p.m.
10TH REGION AT HARRISON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
Saturday
Championship game: Campbell County vs. George Rogers Clark, 6:30 p.m.
Softball region tournament games
9TH REGION AT MULTIPLE SITES
Sunday
Villa Madonna at Highlands, noon
Cooper at Notre Dame, 1 p.m.
Newport Central Catholic at Dixie Heights, 1 p.m.
Beechwood at Ryle, 1 p.m.
Monday at Notre Dame
Semifinal games, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Wednesday at Notre Dame
Championship game, 4 p.m.
10TH REGION AT REFFITT FIELD, MOUNT STERLING
Saturday
Campbell County vs. George Rogers Clark, noon
Brossart vs. Bracken County, 2 p.m.
Montgomery County vs. Harrison County, 4 p.m.
Pendleton County vs. St. Patrick, 6 p.m.
Monday
Semifinal games, 3 and 5 p.m.
Tuesday
Championship game, 7 p.m.
