When Henderson County scored three times in the bottom of the sixth inning it looked to be only icing on the cake of a 2nd Region tournament semifinal victory.
That gave the Colonels a 6-1 lead over Crittenden County in Sunday’s contest, which was moved to Hopkinsville High School after originally being scheduled at University Heights Academy.
But those runs proved to be the difference after the Rockets put together a two-out rally in the top of the seventh and trimmed the gap to 6-4.
A three-run home run to right field by Maddox Carlson kept Crittenden’s hopes alive, then a single by Tyler Boone meant the Rockets had the tying run at the plate.
However, Henderson hurler Landen Hagan struck out the next batter looking to end the game and send the Colonels on to the tourney’s championship game.
Hagan went the distance on the mound for Henderson (22-14), allowing three earned runs on eight base hits. He fanned five and walked just one.
Colton Evans went 3-for-3 at the plate for the Colonels, with a pair of doubles and three runs batted in. Seth Givens was 2-for-2 with an RBI.
For Crittenden, Carlson finished the game 3-for-4 with the three RBIs. Trace Adams was 2-for-4.
The Rockets end the season at 23-10.
Henderson broke the ice in the contest with a run in the home half of the third, then added two more in the fourth to go up 3-0.
Crittenden scratched out an unearned run in the top of the sixth to get within 3-1 before Henderson opened the lead to 6-1 in the bottom of that frame.
