The Christian County Colonels continued their recent hold on the 8th District, collecting their fourth-straight title with a 6-2 victory over Hopkinsville on Tuesday at Tiger Field. It was the Tigers’ first title game appearance since 2015, having last won the tournament in 2014. The Colonels have won four of five to improve to 17-12, while the Tigers enter next week’s 2nd Region tournament at 9-21 overall.
Colonels starting pitcher Wyatt Stevenson helped himself with a sacrifice fly to score Austin Fields in the bottom of the first inning. The Colonels took control with 3 runs in their half of the third, using a two-out rally capped off by an RBI double by lone senior Cameron Crider.
Hopkinsville errors led to a Christian County run in each of the fifth and sixth innings, stretching the lead to 6-0. The Tigers battled all night, matching the Colonels with six hits, and finally broke through on a double by Robert Justus and an RBI triple by Ryan Myers. A groundout by Aaron Crosby scored Myers, but Stevenson struck-out Blake Sowell to end the Tigers’ chances.
Stevenson allowed 2 runs on six hits while striking-out twelve. He was also 2-2 at the plate with an RBI. Crider drove-in 2, joining Fields, Lane Diuguid and Keith Stallons with a hit each.
Logan Durst took the loss for the Tigers, working 2.2 innings and allowing 2 runs on a hit with a strikeout and two walks. Jacob Dilday pitched the last 3.1, yielding 2 runs on four hits with a couple of strikeouts. Myers and Crosby each had a hit and an RBI, with Justus, Caleb Bapp, Layne Jorgensen and John Duvall each collecting a hit.
Both teams advanced to next week’s 2nd Region tournament, with the draw on Friday at Madisonville-North Hopkins. Christian County will be hosting the tournament.
