Rams Season Ends at State
James Collier
The Ashland Beacon
KHSAA STATE BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP OPENING ROUND
LEXINGTON CATHOLIC 6 RACELAND 3
Raceland needed to channel the mascot of the Lexington Counter Clocks after the first two innings Thursday night against Lexington Catholic in the opening round of the 2023 State Championship at Counter Clocks Field.
After the Rams fell behind 6-0 in the opening two frames, it was an uphill battle the rest way as they would fall 6-3 to the Knights.
Raceland struggled to start the contest after starting pitcher Brayden Webb issued a pair of walks. Both runners advanced on a balk to the next batter and a Rams error pushed across two runs for a 2-0 Knights edge. A double to the gap in left center added another run for the Knights and a 3-0 lead after one.
Lex Cath’s offensive attack continued in the second with a single to open the frame followed by an RBI double for a 4-0 lead. The Knights would add two more for a six-run lead after an inning and a half, but the Rams would not go away quietly.
Clay Coldiron took the ball in relief to start the third and worked into the sixth before handing the ball off to Kadin Shore. The bullpen duo held the Knights scoreless the rest of the way as the offense tried to build on the success from the mound. The Rams dented the scoreboard in the home fifth after Jeremy Kerns reached on an error and moved to second on the throw. Conner Hughes delivered an RBI single to plate Kerns and trim the lead to, 6-1.
Raceland took one final shot at the Knights in the final stanza with singles by Connor Thacker and Webb followed by a Kerns walk to load the bases with only one out. Hughes pushed home a run on a fielder’s choice for the first of two Rams runs in the seventh but they could get no closer as a grounder to second ended their season at 25-10.