After being held scoreless for the first 12 2/3 innings of the 2024 season, the Harlan County Black Bears came alive at just the right time Wednesday at Letcher Central.
The Bears trailed 3-0 before Tristan Cooper came through with a bases-clearing double to tie the game. Alex Creech followed with an RBI single.
Freshman Jesse Gilbert pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings with two strikeouts and one walk to earn the first victory of his high school career. Creech gave up three unearned runs in 3 2/3 innings as the starter, striking out eight and walking one.
Isaac Kelly opened the seventh inning with a single, then Gilbert walked and Aiden Craig reached on a.fielder’s choice before Cooper’s hit.
Kelly and Creech each had two hits for the 1-1 Bears, who opened the season Tuesday with a 10-0 six-inning loss at South Laurel. Cooper and Jonah Swanner each added one hit.
“I’m very proud of our guys tonight. It was a very gritty win early in the season,” Harlan County coach Scotty Bailey said. “Early in the year, bats are going to be slow and there’s going to be mistakes made, but what I told the boys was to play fast and play hard. Mistakes are going to happen. The boys didn’t quit, even going into the last inning we had a good pep to us and they battled. We didn’t drop our heads and get down. We got to clean up and fix a lot, but I’m proud of the way the boys battled back and got a good win against a good Letcher Central baseball team.”
Harlan County returns to action Friday at home against Clay County.
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South Laurel junior Keaton Smith pitched a two-hitter with six strikeouts as the Cardinals defeated the Bears in the season opener.
Led by Waylon Hensley’s 5-for-5, two RBI and two runs scored effort, South Laurel pounded out 14 hits while taking advantage of three errors.
Kelly and Gunner Burkhart had hits for the Bears.
Cooper suffered the loss as he gave up six runs (three earned) on six hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 1 2/3 innings. Creech gave up two hits in 1 1/3 innings. Zayden Casolari allowed two runs on two hits in two innings, with one strikeout and three walks. Carson Clark recorded one out and gave up one run on one hit one strikeout and one walk.
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Harlan County 000 000 4 — 4. 6. 6
Letcher Central 200 100 0 — 3. 4. 3
Creech, Gilbert (4) and Kelly; Willliams, Boggs (7) and Kincer. WP — Gilbert (1-0). LP — Boggs.