For the third straight year, the University Heights Academy Blazers will be playing for a Region 2 Baseball Tournament championship.
The seventh-ranked Blazers survived by the skin of their teeth Wednesday night by rallying from a four-run deficit to edge Madisonville-North Hopkins 8-7 in the first semifinal contest at Chris Simmons Field.
Senior Thomas Hallmark wore the hero’s cape for UHA, which improved to 28-8. The right-hander entered the game in the fourth inning and stopped a five-run inning by the Maroons that saw Madisonville take a 7-3 advantage.
Hallmark dominated the Maroons the rest of the way, striking out six and not allowing a hit in the final 3 1/3 innings.
The Blazers got off to a good start as Ryan Luckey reached on a bunt to start the game. He went all the way to third base on a throwing error. After Hayden Hunt drew a walk and stole second base, AJ Hogart slapped a two-run single to give UHA a 2-0 advantage.
Madisonville (21-13) got a run back in the bottom of the second inning as Brantley Harris walked. His courtesy runner, Kolby Jarvis, scored when Branden Lynch grounded out to Cadence Gibson.
UHA’s Hogart continued his torrid streak, as he hit a solo home run over the left-center field fence to make it 3-1 in the top of the third.
However, Madisonville cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the frame when Ryder Sandidge scored on a single by Harris.
Jackson Flynn started the game on the hill for the Blazers, but was relieved by Jaiden Miles with one out in the third. Miles was chased in the fourth after only recording one out.
Madisonville struck for five runs using three hits and a pair of UHA errors to take a 7-3 lead. Blazers’ coach Michael Crow brought Josh Pace in for Miles, but the senior also struggled. Enter Hallmark, who struck out Charles Cole to end the inning and the threat.
The Blazers then began their comeback starting in the top of the fifth inning. With two out, Hunt singled to left field and advanced to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Hogart doubled to score Hunt and cut the Maroons’ lead to 7-4.
Flynn walked and Aiden Jones doubled with one out in the top of the sixth inning. Their pinch runners, Chase Cook and Matthew Flynn, scored to cut the lead to 7-6. One of the key plays was a two-out infield single by Hunt, who slid headfirst into first base ahead of the throw to score Matthew Flynn.
With Hallmark shutting down the Maroons again in the sixth, Courtland Gibson led off the top of the seventh inning with a double. He moved to third on an infield single by Cadence Gibson. Jackson Flynn’s groundout to second base scored Courtland Gibson to tie the game at 7-7. Jones then lifted a fly ball to center field and Cadence Gibson beat the strong throw from Evan Wilson to give UHA an 8-7 advantage.
Hallmark, who entered the game with only 16 innings pitched all season, struck out Hayden Cole and Charles Cole and then induced a pop up up to Hunt at shortstop to end the game.
Hogart ended the night 3-for-4 with four RBIs for UHA. Hunt had a pair of hits.
With the win, UHA advances to play Christian County at 6 p.m. Thursday at Chris Simmons Field. It is a rematch of last week’s District 8 Tournament championship game won by the Colonels 2-1. The winner of Thursday’s game advances to the KHSAA State Baseball Tournament to face the Region 14 winner, June 4 at Legends Field in Lexington.Â
Thursday’s game will air at 5:45 p.m. on 95.3 The Farm and 953thefarm.com.
Score by Innings:
University Heights Academy 201 012 2 – 8 8 3
Madisonville-North Hopkins 011 500 0 – 7 5 5
WP – Hallmark (3 1/3 IP, 6 SO, 1 BB).
LP – Lear
Leading Hitters: UHA – Luckey (1B), Hunt (2 1B), Hogart (1B, 2B, HR, 4 RBI), Courtland Gibson (2B), Jones (2B).
Photos by Peyton Biaquis