The Owensboro Western Cal Ripkin 12U team claimed a state title on Sunday afternoon at Moreland Park. It was a staredown on the mound, but the All-Star squad mustered up enough runs to defeat Breckinridge County 3-1.
Western was leading 3-1 as they entered the final frame. Breckinridge County, however, started gaining momentum. In a tense moment, they narrowly escaped a 2-out rally with the bases loaded, securing the victory.
“There were times today that we could have gotten down, but these kids stayed the course,” said assistant coach Johnathan Patton. “They always find a way to scratch it out and win. It’s clear they’ve bought in. Today could have gone either way.”
Lucas Patton picked up the win on the mound, surrendering just one run on three hits and earning five strikeouts in 5.1 innings. Cortavius Howard entered in relief and earned the save, allowing no runs and no hits with one K.
It was a balanced attack for Western, with Cameron Howard, Byron Jarboe, Neil Quisenberry, Daken Havener, and Cal Murphy accounting for five hits. Patton, Jarboe, and Carter Rowan accounted for the three runs. Jarboe, Quisenberry, and Howard had one RBI a piece.
Western struck first with one run in the first, followed by another in the second to go up 2-0. They allowed one in the fourth before adding another of their own in the bottom of the fifth. Things got silent at Moreland Park when Breck began knocking on the door in the bottom of the sixth, but Patton and the entire staff had faith in their kids.
“It doesn’t matter what is going on; they’re always so supportive of each other,” he said. “The parents have done a great job of being supportive and encouraging the kids to support each other.”
Western will travel to Vincennes, Indiana, this Thursday to compete at regionals against 12 other teams. A Lexington squad won the region last year, and with them having already earned an automatic bid to the World Series, there’s a chance that two teams from the region could advance to the big stage this year.
The Cal Ripken League serves as a transition year from Little League to Babe Ruth, allowing kids to lead off and pick off. The distance from the mound to the plate and between the base paths increases slightly.
Mike Watson serves as the team’s head coach and president of the Western Cal Ripken League.
“It always feels good to win a state tournament on your own field, especially with these boys last year of youth baseball,” Watson said. “We really presumed this to be a special group since sign-ups in March and the hard work is starting to show. We expect to arrive at Vincennes on Thursday at our first game and surprise a lot of people.”
Watson and Patton both agree that having a 15-man roster can be challenging, but they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“The chemistry this team has is unlike any I’ve ever seen,” Watson said. “They make our jobs easier and allow us to go to the bench anytime with confidence.”
This year’s World Series is slated for August 7 in Branson, Missouri.
