Cadence Gibson collected four hits, including his first home run of the season, and earned the win on the mound to lead University Heights Academy to a 14-4 victory over Madisonville-North Hopkins in Monday’s 2nd-Region quarterfinal matchup.
The Blazers topped the Maroons for the second time this season to advance to a semifinal meeting with Henderson County on Tuesday. The Colonels pulled off an extra-inning upset of Lyon County in Monday’s nightcap.
Cadence Gibson’s RBI single got the Blazers on the scoreboard in the bottom of the 1st but the Maroons surged in front with four runs in the top of the 3rd. Xzavier Martin singled in a run, followed by back-to-back RBI singles by Lane Faulk and Brantley Harris.
Jaiden Miles got the start on the mound for the Blazers, allowing four runs, two earned, on three hits with a walk and three strikeouts before giving way to Cadence Gibson. Gibson worked two and two-thirds scoreless innings with a walk, three strikeouts, and two hits to earn the win. Ryan Luckey picked up the save, allowing a single hit with a strikeout in a scoreless sixth inning.
Cadence Gibson led off the bottom of the 3rd with a home run to energize the Blazers, and they cut the deficit to a run when Jackson Flynn crossed the plate. UHA added a pair of runs on a Maroon error in the bottom of the 4th and took a 6-4 lead when Cadence Gibson came home on a passed ball.
Josh Pace’s two-run double highlighted a four-run 5th, and Jackson Flynn drove in a pair to put the Blazers on the verge of a walk-off win in the 6th. Courtland Gibson followed with a line drive to left to bring in two runs and give UHA its first win in the regional tournament since 2005.
Cadence Gibson drove in two runs, Luckey finished with three hits, and Flynn had two hits and three RBI. Pace added two hits and two RBI, and Hayden Hunt was 2/4 at the plate.
The Blazers improved to 24-11 and will be looking for their fourth straight win over Henderson on Tuesday.
Madisonville ended the season at 14-18 with Mathew Yates taking the loss on the mound after allowing three runs, two earned, on two hits with a pair of walks in an inning of work.
