Behind a one-hit shutout from Davis Beale and a perfect night at the plate from Ben Higdon, the state’s No. 3-ranked McCracken County High School baseball team eased by Christian County on Thursday in an 11-0 win.
Beale (2-0) was nearly perfect in the five-inning affair, striking out eight, walking one and allowing just the one hit — a two-out single by Gage Montes in the top of the third inning.
It was the 10th win of the year for the Mustangs, who defeated No. 13 Hopkinsville one day prior. McCracken banged out nine hits in the shutout — its fifth such victory in 14 games — led by leadoff hitter Higdon, who came into the contest hitting .543.
After a pair of scoreless frames to open the contest, the Stangs grabbed their first lead on Austin Harper’s sacrifice fly that scored Cameron Willis in the second. MCHS (10-4) then exploded for four runs in the third inning and six more in the fourth to blow the game open. McCracken went up 10-0 on Cooper Ford’s two-run double in the fourth inning.
Higdon finished 3-for-3 with two runs, an RBI and a walk to lead the Mustangs. Harper, Braden Vinyard, and Cooper Ford, hitting respectively in the 6-8 spots, each delivered two RBIs each in the run-shortened game.
The Colonels’ Elijah Underhill (1-3) took the loss after giving up four hits and four walks in three innings on the mound. Only one of Underhill’s five surrendered runs were earned, as a result of two CCHS errors. David Krzywada struggled with his command and uncorked four wild pitches in the loss, allowing five hits and six runs in less than an inning of relief. Josh Snorton struck out the only batter he faced in the other 1/3 inning by Colonel pitchers.
Christian County (3-9) returns home for matchups with Lyon County (April 27) and Paducah Tilghman (April 29), before heading to Bowling Green to play in South Warren’s Lumberjack Classic April 30-May 1.
