LEXINGTON — The McCracken County Mustangs returned to Legends Field for the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 Clark’s Pump N Shop State Baseball Tournament to advance to the Elite Eight over the West Jessamine Colts. With a 3-2 walk-off on a wild pitch to score Caleb Ehling, the No. 3 Mustangs’ season continues.
“They’re fighters. These guys haven’t given up all year, and we’ve had our backs against the wall a few times after the district championship, going into regionals, and tonight. We fight,” McCracken County head coach Zach Hobbs said. “We know they are not out of any game at any point, and Miller Green carried us. That guy threw a man’s baseball game out there and landed some pitches that if he throws in college, he will be very successful with Western Kentucky University.”
“[Being in close games] It’s helped us a lot, so we put ourselves in these situations all the time, and we’ve had to learn how to grow and come through in the end,” Green said. “We all knew that the first game would be our hardest game. That first game is where we get all the nerves out and get ready. Now, we know we’re here, and everyone knows we’re here. We’re ready to go.”
The Mustang offense collected six hits, with Eli James going 2-for-3. Scout Moffatt, Weston Miller, Caden Kern, and Ehling collected hits in the win. Ehling and James each had one RBI.
It was at the bottom of the third inning when Ehling collected the first hit of the contest. Ehling’s RBI single allowed Andrew Farmer to cross home plate and make it a 1-0 ballgame. However, West Jessamine answered in the top of the fourth inning with Mustang miscues.
“We know that mistakes are going to be made; it’s who makes the fewest and fights back from them. We never hung our heads, we never lay down, throwing punches and haymakers,” Hobbs said. “We play baseball again tomorrow, and that’s what it’s all about.”
After a one-out single by Hayden Peters and an error in the infield, the Colts plated two runs to take a 2-1 lead. McCracken County ended the West Jessamine threat with a double play courtesy of Moffatt, Griffin Cantrell, and James.
At the bottom of the fifth inning, Kern got momentum for the Mustangs with a lead-off single to left field. With one out, Moffatt singled to left field, placing Kern in scoring position. With two outs, James singled on a line drive to left field, scoring Kern to make it a 2-2 game.
“We want to try and compete for a state championship, and we will get to do it again tomorrow. Some days, this game is very brutal, today went our way in the game and was cruel to West Jessamine. They are a good baseball club, well coached, and a classy group,” Hobbs said. “We caught a break at the right time and won the baseball game because our guys made breaks and fought. I’m proud of this group of guys.”
The score remained knotted at two as Green worked the mound for McCracken County. Despite a single by Peters at the top of the sixth inning, Jude Farley caught him stealing home when Ryan Long struck out. The next batter went down on four pitches to send McCracken County back to the dugout.
Green continued dominating the Colts, striking out the side at the top of the seventh inning and collecting his 11th, 12th, and 13th strikeouts in the contest.
Ehling, as the winning run, was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the seventh before Moffatt reached on an error by the Colts, allowing Ehling to advance to third base. With Green batting, Ehling scored on a wild pitch to end the game and let the Mustangs advance to the second round of the state tournament on Saturday.
“How can you not be excited to be playing in the Elite Eight at the KHSAA state baseball tournament,” Hobbs said. “That’s why you lift weights in August, September, and October and then back in the weight room in January, running miles when snow is on the ground for these opportunities. So, we’re going to have fun, and we’re going to enjoy this.”
For West Jessamine, the team collected two hits courtesy of Peters, who went 2-for-3. The junior also took the loss for the Colts, working in relief and facing two batters, allowing one run on 13 pitches.
Landon Davis started for the Colts on the mound, working five innings and allowing six hits, two earned runs, two walks, and five strikeouts. Tyler Giles appeared first in relief for Davis, working an inning.
UP NEXT: The McCracken County Mustangs will face Ryle on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. EDT at Legends Field in Lexington. If the Mustangs advance, they will return to Lexington for the Final Four at Kentucky Proud Park next weekend.
MCCRACKEN COUNTY 3, WEST JESSAMINE 2
WJHS 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 — 2-2-1
MCHS 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 — 3-6-2
WP: M. Green; LP: H. Peters
TB: WJHS — H. Peters 2; MCHS — E. James 2, C. Ehling 1, C. Kern 1, S. Moffatt 1, W. Miller 1
HBP: MCHS — C. Ehling, C. Hawes
CS: WJHS — H. Peters
E: WJHS — H. Peters; MCHS — G. Cantrell 2
RECORDS: McCracken County (32-9); West Jessamine (29-9)