Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 117, No. 31	August 5, 2009

Another state champ!
Meade County 15-year-old Babe Ruth All-Stars take state title

By BILL ROSACKER
Messenger Staff

The year 2009 seems to be a banner year for Meade County baseball. Last week the 8-year-old All-Star team won the state championship and this week the 15-year-old All-Star team won the state championship in Bowling Green.

Submitted photo
Meade County Greenwave 15-year-old Babe Ruth team won the state tournament in Bowling Green on July 27. They won 5-4 in eight innings. Pictured above are the state champions. Front row, left to right: Garrett Ledford, Sean Brotzge, Bo Wilson, Brandon McGehee, Ryan Bruner and Clay Tucker. Back row: Coach Chris McClish, Jacob Barbour, Chris McClish, Brady Smith, Ryan Hogan, Cheaney Schwartz, Coach Troy Smith and Coach Ben Wilson.

“I don’t think a Babe Ruth team from Meade County has ever won a state championship before,” said Coach Ben Wilson.

Two weeks ago at the district tournament, the All-Stars started off by beating the Elizabethtown and LaRue County All-Stars. Bo Wilson and Garrett Ledford were the winning pitchers in those games, respectively. In the finals, Meade faced Elizabethtown for the second time in the double elimination tournament, with Brady Smith on the mound. This game was not even close. Meade walloped Elizabethtown 11-3 and advanced to state.

Bo Wilson was at his finest facing Germantown. Allowing only four scattered hits, Wilson struck out 13 and only walked one batter for a 6-0 victory. Logan County was the next victim. Behind Garrett Ledford, the Meade All-Stars had another shutout 4-0.

“Garrett pitched a heck of a game,” said Coach Wilson, “he did just great.”

Next up was one of Meade County’s district rivals, Hancock County. Brady Smith started for Meade, with Ryan Bruner and Wilson coming in on relief. Hancock County proved to be a tough foe, but in the end Meade prevailed and came away with a 10-8 hard-fought victory.

Now only one game remained for the championship. Wilson got the start against Logan County. Through 6 innings, he allowed four runs on six hits with eight strikeouts. Wilson started off the game by hitting a triple, and was driven in to score the game’s first run. But Logan County hadn’t gotten to the championship game on luck. They came back and Meade County found themselves down 3-1.

Sean Brotzge then got a huge double to score two runs and tie the score which sent the game into extra innings. By this time, Ledford had come in on relief, and the game remained tied until the top of the eighth. Bruner’s double gave Meade the scoring opportunity it needed and Cheaney Schwartz
capitalized by driving him home for the go-ahead run. With a scant one-run lead, Meade took the field in
the bottom of the eighth, and Logan County was determined to stage a comeback.

With a runner on first, the Logan batter hit a hard shot to Brotzge at short. He deftly fielded the ball, threw to Bo Wilson on second, who threw to Chris McClish on first. Double play! A classic 6-4-3 double play. One would think that play would demoralize the opponents, but Logan County did not roll over and play dead. The next two batters drew a walk and the next got a single, but the runners could not advance to score. The bases are now loaded, there are two outs and the tying run is on third, the winning run on second and the state championship on the line. Ledford lets go the throw, and the runner gets his bat on the ball for a pop fly over short stop Wilson’s head. From center field, Schwartz charges in on a dead run, catches the ball in flight and ends the game. Meade County is the Kentucky State 15-Year-Old Champion for the first time.

“Cheaney was all over center field throughout the tournament,” said Coach Wilson, “but our whole team played great. Jacob Barbour in left field went 3-3 against Hancock County and made some outstanding (fielding) plays all tournament long.”

“I cannot begin to thank high school coach Todd Clanton enough,” said Wilson. “He has been at every game, encouraging the kids. He was helping out at the fair all week long. He really was a motivating factor for this team.” With these results, it looks quite encouraging for the Meade County High School team for the next couple of years.

The Meade County All-Stars met the Michigan All-Stars July 31, in the first round of the 11-team Ohio Valley Regional in Mattoon, IL.

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