GREAT EFFORT

The Corbin Redhounds battled the top-ranked North Laurel Jaguars down to the wire before falling in the first-round of the 13^th Region Tournament, 2-1 at South Laurel Monday night.

The Redhounds (14-24) stranded eight runners while senior pitcher, Trace Vorbeck, allowed only two hits as the Jaguars stranded three runners.

“We’ve got to score runs. I know coming in that Trace would do what he did. We had opportunities again to score runs against a good quality team,” Corbin Coach Rob Ledington said.

“To hold them to two runs. We did what we had to do on that side of things; we just didn’t get that timely clutch hit. We didn’t execute and do some things we needed to do offensively. You can’t beat somebody when you just score one run. That’s what he boiled down to,” he said.

“We put the ball in play a little more and got better swings. You’ve got to give them credit they did a good job pitching too. It just boiled down to us not getting timely hits,” Ledington said.

The Redhounds threatened to score from the opening pitch when Vorbeck drew a walk. He went to second on a single by Zach Farley and moved over to third on a sacrifice by Jacob Metzger. But, the runners were stranded when Ryan Shears struck out senior Zach Duncum.

The Jaguars (28-6) didn’t waste anytime getting on the scoreboard when speedster Marcus Carson drew a walk and stole second. He scored on Zach Storm double to the left field fence. Storm was later picked off try to take home on a passed ball. Ethan Eversole drew a walk but was picked off by the freshmen combination of catcher Austin O’Neill and shortstop Andrew Jones.

Corbin tied the game in the top of the third when Vorbeck hit a one-out single up the middle. He went to second on an error by Storm, who will play at UK next season. Vorbeck went to third on a passed ball then scored when the ball got away from North Laurel catcher, Ethan Eversole.

Shears got Farley to pop out and Jacob Metzger grounded out to end the inning with the game tied at 1-1.

In the bottom of the third, North Laurel rallied for a run to take the lead with two outs. Carson hit into an error by shortstop Andrew Jones before Storm was intentionally walked. Eversole came through with a single past Jones to score Carson and give the Jaguars a 2-1 lead. Vorbeck walked Shears to load the bases, but got John Evans to ground out to end the rally.

Derek Terry tried to give the Redhounds a boost in the fourth when he hit a two-out single to center field, but Shears struck out Keaton Burton to end the inning.

The Redhounds pulled off a double play in the bottom half of the inning when Gabe Blair was hit by a pitch. But, Zach Hurley lined out to Vorbeck, who picked off Blair at first. He struck out Taylor Bowling and the Jaguars went down in order.

Corbin missed an opportunity to score in the top of the fifth when Vorbeck hit a one-out single to right field. With Foley at the plate and a 3-1 count, a high pitch by Shears looked to be the fourth ball. As Vorbeck headed to second, the home plate umpire called the pitch a strike. Vorbeck was halfway to second when the call was made. The delayed call caused Vorbeck to get thrown out. Foley struck out on the next pitch.

“It was huge obviously, but you can’t assume anything. I am not going to make an excuse for that because there were a lot of opportunities where we could have gotten a hit and that stuff doesn’t make a difference,” Ledington said. “That was a huge momentum thing for us, but again you just can’t assume that was going to be a ball. Players play, coaches coach and umpires umpire and that’s the bottom line.”

Vorbeck shut down the Jaguars in the fifth and sixth inning as the Eastern Kentucky University signee struck out four of the next six batters.

Corbin had chances in the sixth and seventh innings. Metzger reached base in the sixth when Storm committed his second error of the game.

After struggling to strike out Duncum on a full-count, North Laurel Coach Darrin McWhorter brought in Carson to finish the game. Carson walked Matt Jewell before getting Terry to strike out to end the inning.

In the seventh, Corbin’s Burton opened with a walk, but couldn’t advance to second as Jones tried to lay down three consecutive bunts. North Laurel chose to intentionally walk Vorbeck. With runners at first and second, Carson got out of the inning by striking out Brady Foley and Farley.

Vorbeck led the Redhounds with two hits and two walks and had nine strikeouts from the mound.

North Laurel 2, Corbin 1

Corbin                      001  000  0- 1  4  1

North Laurel            101  000  x- 2  2  2

  Trace Vorbeck and Austin O’Neill. Ryan Shears, Marcus Carson (6) and Ethan Eversole. W-Shears, L-Vorbeck. 2B-Storm (NL). LOB-Corbin 8, North Laurel 3. Errors: Jones (C), Storm (2) NL.