Top-seeded University Heights Academy has advanced to the 8th District Baseball title game for a second straight year — a feat it hadn’t accomplished since 2017 — after dismantling Fort Campbell, 15-0, in a district tournament semifinal Monday at Christian County High School.
Sophomore Ryan Luckey (3-0) remained unbeaten on the mound in 2024 by striking out seven and allowing just one hit in the four-inning shutout. He allowed just one walk and tossed only 48 pitches in the run-shortened contest.
Luckey was also one of four Blazers to deliver two hits at the plate. Helping his own cause, he went 2-for-2 with three runs, a pair of RBIs and a walk. Hayden Hunt (2-for-2, three runs, RBI, walk), Courtland Gibson (2-for-3, RBI) and Josh Pace (2-for-3, two runs, RBI, walk) joined Luckey in Monday’s multi-hit club.
Heights scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, notched one in the second, exploded for seven more in the third, and had three in the fourth to end the game via mercy rule. The Blazers pounded a total of 11 hits and took advantage of a trio of Falcon errors.
No. 4 seed Fort Campbell, which ends its season with a 9-23 record, had just two base runners in defeat. Those were courtesy of Thomas Roach’s single and John Arnold’s drawn walk. Michael Anderson (4-8) took the loss after walking a pair and allowing four hits and seven runs (five earned) in two innings. Adam Harrington also walked two and gave up seven hits and eight runs in 1 1/3 innings of relief.
Seeking its first 8th District crown since 2001, University Heights (22-11) will face Hopkinsville (19-8) at 6:30 p.m. in Tuesday’s district championship game at CCHS. The Blazers and Tigers have not played for a district title in over 25 years. During their doubleheader on May 2, Heights swept both games against Hoptown, respectively, by counts of 6-5 and 6-3.
