16th Region baseball draw: Rams to repeat?
May 20—MOREHEAD — Raceland won its first 16th Region Tournament title in 30 years last June and kept shining on the diamond this season under a newfound spotlight.
The Rams have posted 26 wins and enter the 2022 region tournament quarterfinals at Morehead City Park on Sunday not looking to defend their championship, but to earn another one, according to Raceland coach Marty Mills.
"It's been a little different this year," Mills said. "We are not defending, we are trying to earn something and trying to win something. It's the approach that we've had all year. It's the approach you want to take every day. Our kids are poised and upbeat. They are playing pretty well right now."
Schedule details were hashed out during the draw meeting at Morehead's Buffalo Wild Wings on Friday morning. Graduation ceremonies were cause for concern and participating schools' athletic directors voted 5-3 to play all four first-round games on Sunday starting at 10 a.m.
Raceland (22-6) will meet Fleming County (21-12) in the final game of the day, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. The two teams did not play this year, but Mills feels his team will face a solid Panthers club and most likely their ace, Larkin McKee, who has recorded 106 strikeouts this season.
"They have had a really good year," Mills said. "I know they have a kid on the mound that's pretty good. He played in the (Northeastern Kentucky) All-Star Game last year. They hit it and defend really well. They've had a good year for a reason."
The Panthers finished with a winning record for just the second time since 2012 under first-year coach and alum Zach McRoberts.
"It's been resiliency," McRoberts said about his team's key to success. "We had a lot of games where we played our best baseball and we got run-ruled a couple of times. It's been a roller coaster this season. We have a great group of seniors that have carried us a long way this year."
McRoberts said the reigning region champs present many challenges, but Fleming County looks forward to the opportunity to compete.
"We played (Raceland) last year," McRoberts said. "They are very well-coached. You can expect them to not beat themselves. We have to play our best game to have a chance to win."
The Rams boast a deep rotation and Mills said their first-round starter hasn't been determined.
"We have plenty of arms for a three-day tournament," Mills said. "It depends on who is throwing well that day. We might not have to stay with someone so long. It gives you a lot of flexibility. Right now (on Friday), I can't tell you who our first-game starter will be yet."
East Carter (20-6) vs. Russell (17-12), 10 a.m.It will have been just 10 days since these two teams last met when they open the tournament on Sunday morning.
The Red Devils prevailed, 4-3, after completing the comeback victory with an offensive outburst in their final at-bat.
"It was a tough game," Rice said. "We came back in the bottom of the seventh and scored three runs. They are a well-coached team. We hope that we can play as well as we did a week ago and have a good game."
The Raiders won't need an early wake-up call because they will arrive fully focused with Russell hurler JK McKnight a possible starter for Russell.
East Carter has collected several wins against region contenders this season. It allows the Raiders to enter the fray with plenty of confidence.
"I don't think anybody wants to see JK McKnight in the first round," East Carter coach Jeremiah Shearer said. "He's one of the better pitchers in the region. At some point, you will have to beat the better pitchers in the region if you want to win this thing. We like our chances.
"We try to take care of us," he added. "We played a lot of the better teams in the region and played them well. We like where we are at."
The early matchup gives the two teams an established timetable to prepare.
"I think it is good to get that first game out of the way early," Rice said. "You don't have to worry about the games in front of you going long. You know when you are playing. We will show up and go whenever they tell us."
Shearer concurred.
"It will probably be the only game that will be on time the first day," Shearer said. "It's the draw that we want with the first game."
Rowan County (26-9) vs. Ashland (11-18), 1 p.m.Two clubs quite familiar with each other will meet in the second region quarterfinal.
The Vikings and the Tomcats will play their fourth game against each other this season on Rowan County's home field.
The Vikings won all three previous matchups. Rowan County outlasted Ashland in the first meeting, but the Vikings posted impressive victories in the final two.
"Everybody has played on our field, not as much as us," Rowan County coach Scott Collins said about hosting the event, "but as far as being able to have your fans come from across town, it's a benefit. ... We are glad that it is here. Hopefully, our community will come out and support us.
"It could be an advantage to both of us," he added about the latest game against the Tomcats. "You can throw all that out when you get between the lines and just play the game."
Ashland interim coach Derek Runyon knows the Vikings have a stellar pitching staff.
"There is some familiarity, but it's equal for them," Runyon said. "There are pluses and minuses. From a pitching standpoint, we know what we are facing. We also have a pretty good idea who will be in their lineup. Hopefully, the fourth time will be the charm for us."
Wyatt Welte, Hayden Mains and Chase Alderman have anchored the Vikings pitching staff. They have a combined 18-5 record and an ERA just over one run a game.
"Our pitching staff has been good all year long," Collins said. "We just have to put some runs on the board and defend behind them to give us a chance. Any time you can send out Chase Alderman, Hayden Mains, Wyatt Welte, it's an advantage. I have confidence in all three of them. We have a great relief staff behind them."
The Tomcats advanced to the region final last year and are looking to recapture that same form in Morehead.
"It's something that we've talked about," Runyon said. "The majority of these guys have been there. They know what it is like to come into the tournament as a slight underdog and still go perform at a high level."
Boyd County (22-9) vs. Elliott County (13-19), 4 p.m.These two teams fall on the other end of the spectrum in comparison to the preceding quarterfinal game. The matchup features a pair of Lions that don't play very often.
Boyd County enters the region tournament having won 17 of its last 19 games and looks to carry that momentum to three more victories this week.
Boyd County coach Frank Conley believes his team is playing its best baseball at the right time, but his Lions will not look past their opening round opponent, region tournament newcomer Elliott County.
"We know they have a couple of guys on the mound that can throw it," Conley said, "and they have a couple of guys that can hit it. We saw one in the (Northeastern Kentucky) All-Star Game (last year, Nathaniel Buckner). We don't take anybody lightly.
"Last year, everybody was telling us what a good draw it was and then we had (Fleming County's) Larkin McKee pitch against us," he continued. "He can shut anybody down. Same way this year. (Elliott County) didn't get here because they are bad. They beat somebody to get here."
The Lions from Sandy Hook will play in their first region tournament game since 1989 and coach Scott Buckner said the team is prepared to face a new postseason atmosphere.
"You just go with what's been working in practice," Buckner said. "I've got good leadership on the team. They take after each other. Even after practices, they would go field and hit. They took a lot on themselves this year to get ready for this."
The semifinals are scheduled on Monday at 5:30 and 7. The region championship game is slated for Tuesday at 6:30.
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