Four years ago, the McCracken County Mustangs and Paducah Tilghman Blue Tornado played a 12-inning contest, with the Mustangs winning with a walk-off at Edward Jones Field. On Thursday night, history repeated with a 13-inning romp between the crosstown rivals, ending with a Mustang walk-off with senior Andrew Farmer as the winning run.
“It feels awesome. I was ready for my opportunity, and it was an awesome game. Those guys always come out hard,” Farmer said. “I remember watching that game four years when Rivers Moffatt hit the walk-off, and I thought I would love to be the person who did that. I’ll remember this one for a while. I’m glad we got to get the district win.”
In the third hour of the contest, in the bottom of the 13th inning, Farmer hit a ground ball and reached on an error by Paducah Tilghman. Caleb Ehling singled to center field, allowing Farmer to move into scoring position. With Caden Kern at the plate and a 1-1 count, Farmer stole third base, advancing home on an addition error by the Blue Tornado. Quickly, Farmer swiftly crossed home plate to end the game.
A trio of senior arms for McCracken County worked in the extra inning contest. Ross Aldridge earned the nod, working three innings, while Alex Calhoun and Ehling finished the game. As a whole, the McCracken County Mustang hurlers struck out 22 batters.
Ehling earned the win for the Mustangs, working six innings. The senior lefty did not allow a hit or walk, striking out seven of 14 batters. Calhoun, who appeared first in relief, struck out 13 of 24 batters, walking three and allowing one hit. Aldridge worked three innings, allowing eight hits, three runs (earned), two walks and two strikeouts.
Paducah Tilghman also used three arms in the ballgame. Clayton Pickard started for the Blue Tornado and worked over three innings, allowing four hits and three runs (earned) while walking five and striking out three.
Brendan Mira appeared in relief, striking out 11 in eight innings on 120 pitches. He allowed six hits and one walk. Jalen Seay took the loss, working less than an inning while allowing two hits and one run.
Tilghman struck first in the top of the first inning, and McCracken County answered at the bottom of the second. The 2-1 Mustang lead remained until the fourth inning when the Blue Tornado plated two runs, taking a 3-2 lead. The game became tied in the home half of the inning and remained until the 13th.
Despite both teams having runners in scoring positions, neither could capitalize. Mental mistakes and bad breaks continued for the Mustangs and Blue Tornado as time continued throughout the three-hour ballgame.
McCracken County collected 12 hits in the win. Ehling led the team offensively, going 4-for-5 with two RBI and one run. Casey Hawes finished 3-for-4 with a double for the Mustangs.
Paducah Tilghman tallied nine hits in the loss. Hank James went 2-for-5, Landon Hinz went 2-for-6, and Stone Crowe went 2-for-5.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 4, PADUCAH TILGHMAN 3
PTHS 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 — 3-9-2
MCHS 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 — 4-12-3
WP: C. Ehling; LP: J. Seay
2B: PTHS — B. Mira; MCHS — C. Hawes, K. Dunning
TB: PTHS — B. Mira 2, H. James 2, L. Hinz 2, S. Crowe 2, G. Massey 1, J. Seay 1; MCHS — C. Ehling 4, C. Hawes 4, K. Dunning 2, G. Dugan 1, J. Farley 1, S. Moffatt 1, W. Miller 1
HBP: C. Ehling, C. Hawes, K. Dunning, S. Moffatt
SB: PTHS — M. Daniels 2, H. James; MCHS — C. Ehling 2, A. Famer, C. Hawes
CS: PTHS — G. Massey; MCHS — K. Dunning
E: PTHS — S. Crowe 2; MCHS — B. Casebier, G. Cantrell, K. Dunning