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Beechwood baseball team adds another All “A” Classic championship trophy to its collection


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Beechwood pitcher Nick Jackman gave up one run on five hits in the title game. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

Beechwood senior pitcher Nick Jackman allowed only one run against a potent batting order and the Tigers defeated Hazard, 3-1, in the championship game of the Kentucky All “A” Classic state baseball tournament on Sunday at Whitaker Bank Park in Lexington.

This is the fourth time that Beechwood (19-8) has won the small-school state tournament. The previous titles came in 2006, 2014 and 2016, when they also beat Hazard in the title game.

The school will celebrate its latest state title with a rally that’s scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Monday in the varsity gymnasium.

Hazard (19-7) was averaging 9.8 runs per game coming into Sunday’s showdown. The Bulldogs had scored 10 or more runs in 13 of their 19 victories. But they were limited to just one run on five hits by Jackman, who was named the state tournament’s most valuable player.

The other four Beechwood players selected for the all-tournament team were juniors John Odom, Logan Castleman, Dylan Doverspike and Devin Johnson.

A Hazard player is tagged out while trying to dive over Beechwood infielder Preston Hamilton to reach second base. (Photo by Dale Dawn)

Beechwood took a 1-0 lead in the first inning of the state final on a run-scoring double by Doverspike. Hazard tied the score in the top of the third, but the Tigers regained the lead on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Marcus Berger that scored Johnson in the fourth inning.

Beechwood got its final run in the sixth inning when Castleman doubled and came home on a single by Doverspike.

This is Beechwood’s first season under head coach Kevin Gray. The Tigers have two games left on their regular-season schedule and then face Holmes or Holy Cross in the first round of the 35th District tournament next week.

If they win one district game, the Tigers will advance to the 9th Region post-season playoffs for the sixth consecutive year and the 17th time in the last 20 years.

Beechwood was regional runner-up in 2016 and won regional championships in 2009, 2006 and 2004.


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