Corbin bid falls short

They gave it their all, they left it on the playing field. But in the end the Corbin 15-16 year old All-Star Baseball team lost to host Mercer County in the Kentucky Senior League State Tournament, 9-7.
Corbin saw a 7-0 lead disappair Monday afternoon in the championship game and the road to the National Central Region was blocked by the home team.
“I really felt bad for the kids,” said Corbin coach C.E. Brittain. “They don’t realize how close they came to bringing home a state championship. They really worked hard and improved more than you would think this summer.”
“It really hurts when you had it and then gave it away,” he added. “I hate it for the kids.”
Clayton Sewell got Corbin off to a good start when he reached on a walk then stole second. He stole third then scored when Mercer County catcher Jeff Embree tried to throw him out.
The second inning saw the same scenario when Eric Salmons reached on a base hit. He went to second on a Cory Sewell bunt then stole third on a wild pitch. He too scored when Embree threw the ball away to put Corbin ahead, 2-0.
Then a five-run third inning pushed the Corbin lead to seven runs. Clayton Sewell started with a base hit. Josh Smith followed with a walk and Ryan Moore loaded the bases with a single.
A Nathan Stevens sacrifice allowed Sewell to score while Smith ended at third and More stayed at first.
Britt Brittain unloaded a solid hit against Devon Denson as Smith and Moore scored for a 5-0 lead.
A new pitcher didn’t help the cause for Mercer County as Eric Salmons pushed Brittain across the plate and later scored himself for the 7-0 lead.
But, it would be short-lived as Corbin began booting the ball all over the field, allowing Mercer County to get back in the game.
The host scored two in the top of the fourth then added six runs in the fifth for a 8-7 lead.
“We were aggressive early and took advantage of their mistakes,” said Brittain.”We began to boot the ball around in the later innings and Mercer County took advantage of our mistakes.”
“They didn’t give up,” Brittain said of Mercer County. “They just kept coming back.”
Corbin rallied in the bottom of the seventh but came up short. Salmons and Cory Sewell was left stranded on the bases.
“We had them on the ropes,” said Brittain, “But we couldn’t close the deal.”
Mercer 11, Corbin 1
Nothing went right for Corbin in the first championship game Sunday. Corbin could have put Mercer County away and made plans for the next level, but a comedy of errors struck the Corbin nine.
Corbin got off to a quick start but left two runners on in the top of the first.
Very few of the Mercer County runs were earned. However, to their credit the host team did get on the scoreboard in the bottom of the first inning with three base hits. Pitcher Josh Carey hit a one-out single and was followed by Devon Denson’s base hit. After Lee Logue moved the runners into scoring position with a fly out to centerfield, Evan Heath got a base hit that scored Carey.
Corbin went down in order in the top of the second. Mercer County sent seven hitters to the plate in the bottom of the inning. A base hit and three straight errors saw Mercer County score four runs and take a 5-0 lead in the game.
In the third, Corbin left bases loaded when Joel Mitchell drew a walk, Josh Smith hit a single and Nathan Stevens drew a two-out walk. But as luck would have it, Britt Brittain hit a line shot down the first base line. The ball hit first base and bounced into the air. The Mercer County first baseman was able to make the play and retire the side instead of two possibly three runs scoring for Corbin.
Mercer County put the game away with a four-run attack in the bottom of the third. Corbin committed four errors in the inning and Moore walked two batters as well. When the dust had cleared in the inning, Mercer County led 9-0.
Corbin got a run across in the top of the fourth when Corey Sewell made it to first after missing a third strike pitch. The ball got away from Mercer catcher, Jeff Embree. Jeremy Machabee hit a double to right centerfield, driving in the lone run of the game.
Corbin 10, Lewis Co. 6
Corbin jumped on Lewis County early and went on to win the winners’ bracket final, 10-6.
Clayton Sewell and Stevens singled in the first inning and scored for a quick 2-0 lead. Corbin had a chance to break the game open but left the bases loaded.
It was Joel Mitchell and Clayton Sewell scoring in the second inning as Corbin moved ahead 4-0.
Then a five-run fourth pushed Corbin into the finals. Clayton Sewell walked with one out and was followed by Smith’s run-scoring double. Ryan Moore drew a walk before Stevens hit a single to drive in Smith.
Brittain answered with a double down the first base line and when Stevens crossed the plate it was 8-0. Brittain eventually scored on a Cory Sewell base hit.
Lewis County rallied in the late inning off starter Josh Smith but Eric Salmons came in to shut down the Vanceburg boys.
Corbin 10, Mercer 5
Corbin shook up Mercer County’s Mason Meredith in the opener for five runs in the top of the first inning. The host came back to tie the score in the bottom of the third but but Logan Matlock was hit by a pitch then scored on a Josh Smith base hit to right centerfield.
Corbin exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth to get the “W”. Machabee led off the inning with a single but was picked off before Cory Sewell could hit a single.
Smith walked and Moore hit an RBI single over third base.
A double by Stevens cleared the bases for a 10-5 lead.
Moore was three for three at the plate in the opening game while Josh Smith was two of three.

Kentucky State Championship Game 2
Mercer Co. 000 261 0- 9 6 5
Corbin 115 000 0- 7 8 6
Devon Denson, Ryan Claunch and Jeff Embree. Logan Matlock, Nathan Stevens and Joel Mitchell. W-Claunch, L-Stevens. 2B-Smith (C).

Kentucky State Championship Game 1
Corbin 500 104 0- 10 8 3
Mercer Co. 311 000 0- 5 6 2
Nathan Stevens and Joel Mitchell. Devon Denson and Jon Carter. W-Stevens, L-Denson. 2B- Moore (C), Stevens (C). HR-Powell (MC).

Winners’ Bracket Finals
Lewis Co. 000 120 3- 6 7 3
Corbin 220 501 x- 10 9 2
Frank Witten and Jeremy Lykins, Andy Downing. Josh Smith, Eric Salmons and Joel Mitchell. W-Smith, L-Witten. 2B-Smith (C), Brittain (C).

First-Round Senior League State
Corbin 000 10- 1 3 9
Mercer Co. 144 02- 11 6 2
Ryan Moore, Matlock and Joel Mitchell. Josh Carey and Jeff Embree. W-Carey, L-Moore. 2B-Machbee (C). Logue (MC).