Henry Clay leads 42nd District baseball standings after pair of wins, but Douglass looms

Ranked No. 22 in the state in the preseason, Henry Clay baseball sputtered to a 2-6 start against an extremely tough schedule early in the season and tumbled out of the coaches’ poll.

Since, the Blue Devils (16-11) have quietly been on a roll and last week improved to 5-1 in the all-important 42nd District standings that will have a bearing on their postseason seed.

Henry Clay split its season series with No. 9 Frederick Douglass, winning 3-2 at The Farm on Tuesday before falling 5-0 at home on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the Blue Devils rebounded with a 4-0 win over Scott County to sweep the season series with the Cardinals, which guaranteed Henry Clay at least a top three seed in the district playoffs with a two-game set against Sayre remaining.

“We knew this was going to be a really big week,” Henry Clay coach Jordan Tarrence said of the regularly scheduled pair of games against the Broncos and rescheduled rainout against the Cards. “That’s three tough games you’ve got to play in three straight days. To win two of the three, I’ll take that as a win. That’s a good week.”

In beating Douglass on Tuesday, Henry Clay pitted its ace, Eastern Kentucky commit Chardy Tierney (3-1 with a 1.86 ERA), against Kentucky commit Leighton Harris (5-2, 1.06 ERA). Both allowed two earned runs, but Tierney got the win after Isaiah Stephan grounded into a fielder’s choice that allowed Nore Day to score in the top of the sixth inning for a 3-1 lead.

Henry Clay reliever Turner Sparks snuffed Douglass’ rally in the seventh inning by striking out Jeremiah Lowe with two runners aboard.

Douglass coach Braden Johnson liked how the Broncos responded Wednesday. Douglass (17-8. 4-2) still has a chance at the district’s top seed if it can sweep Bryan Station this week and Sayre wins at least one game against Henry Clay.

“Henry Clay just wanted it a little bit more than we did,” Johnson said of Tuesday night. “Our kids felt that and they came into today with a lot better energy and a lot better poise.”

Martin Vander Plaats pitched a complete-game four-hit shutout with a career high 12 strikeouts for the Broncos.

On Thursday, it was Henry Clay’s turn to have a bounce-back game.

“We got too excited that we won Tuesday night,” Tarrence said. “All we did was win one game and we got too excited. So, I told them I’m not going to get upset about losing one game. … The boys have been saying ‘flush it,’ and that’s the mindset you’ve got to have.”

Henry Clay’s Giancarlo Gonzalez was on the mound Wednesday as the Blue Devils committed three errors and gave up four unearned runs. Playing first base on Thursday allowed Gonzalez to vent some of that frustration at the plate.

“We just had to flush what happened yesterday and go out and play. It was a different game today,” Gonzales said.

Gonzalez opened the scoring in the second inning. Initially showing bunt on the first pitch, Gonzalez swung away on the second and launched a double to right-center to score Walden Cole who had led off with a single and advanced to second on an error. Gonzalez later scored on Luke Bailey’s single.

In the bottom of the sixth, Gonzalez keyed another two-run rally as he bunted in an attempt to move a runner from second to third base. The bunt stopped dead in the grass after one bounce, forcing a rushed throw to first base that sailed into foul territory in right field, allowing Phearson Oepping to score from first and Gonzalez to reach third. Gonzalez scored on Frederick Reucroft’s single two batters later for a 4-0 lead.

“We like to bunt. We like to hit and run. We like to steal. But we have to get guys on base to be able to do what we want to do,” Tarrence said in explaining the difference between Henry Clay’s Wednesday and Thursday games. “It’s high school baseball. If you put pressure on the other team, you have a chance to make something happen.”

Isaac Rone got the win for six innings of scoreless work. He allowed only three hits and struck out five. Sparks came on in the seventh to close out the victory.

Henry Clay will be the host of the 42nd District Tournament this year. But earning a No. 1 or No. 2 seed will depend on the outcome of their games Tuesday and Wednesday against a Sayre team that will be desperate to avoid finishing in fourth place, which would require the Spartans to play an extra game in order to reach the win-or-go-home district semifinals.

“In this district it’s really important because you want to have your whole stable of arms when you play that game that you have to win (in the district semifinals),” Johnson explained about the standings.

Tarrence knows what’s at stake.

“The goal all along is to be No. 1 or 2,” he said. “Then you get to be the home team and we’re hosting districts, so being the home team here, I think that’s important.”

42nd District standings

Through Thursday’s games

1. Henry Clay, 16-11, 5-1

2. Frederick Douglass, 17-8, 4-2

3. Scott County, 16-10, 4-4

4. Sayre, 14-11, 3-3

5. Bryan Station, 6-11, 0-6

Remaining 42nd District schedule

Tuesday’s games

Frederick Douglass at Bryan Station, 5:30 p.m.

Henry Clay at Sayre, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday’s games

Bryan Station at Frederick Douglass, 5:30 p.m.

Sayre at Henry Clay, 7:30 p.m.

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