Ousted

Needing a win to force a three-way tie in their pool, the Corbin Little League All-Stars came up short Monday night, losing to Owensboro Southern in the Kentucky Little League championships in Ashland, 7-5.
Corbin went into their final tournament game 1-1 after a first-night loss to Campbellsville that went extra innings and a 7-1 Sunday night win over Paintsville. “The kids never game up,” said Manager Wayne Willis. “They fought hard until that last out.”
Corbin found themselves in a hole after giving up two runs in the top of the first inning thanks to a Dalton West home run. However, Corbin was more than ready to meet the challenge in the bottom of the inning when eight hitters went to the plate and came away with four runs and a 4-2 lead.
Pitcher Travis Smith was hit by a pitch before Vinny Hoover hit into an error at short. The hard hitting Trace Vorbeck drew a walk to load the bases.
Brady Foley followed with a ground-rule double to centerfield driving in two runs and tying the game at 2-2. Dalton West, a curve ball pitcher, struck out Josh Coppock before Jared Barton roped a double up the middle scoring Vorbeck and Foley as Corbin took a 4-2 lead in the game.
Eric Jones and Dalton Terry grounded out to end the inning.
Neither team was able to score in the second but Owensboro platted four runs in the top of the third to take a 6-4 lead.
There was bit of controversy in the inning when Matt Johnson hit the ball to third with two outs and bases loaded. Barton stepped on the play for the force out but the umpire ruled the runner, Brian Sanders, safe.
“I think the umpire thought it was not a force out and realized that after he called him safe that it was too late to change his call,” said Willis. “It was a big call in the game because it kept the inning alive and they scored a couple of runs after that.”
Owensboro added a solo run in the top of the fourth when Luke Daugherty hit a home run to push his team ahead, 7-4.
Corbin rallied in the final two innings against relief pitcher, Bryson Morrow. In the bottom of the fifth, Smith was hit by a pitch for the second time in the game. He went to second on a Hoover fielder’s choice then scored on a single by Vorbeck. Brady Foley and Coppock followed with fielder’s choices to third and short that ended the inning.
In the sixth, Jones had a one-out double to centerfield that bounced over the fence. However the rally ended on a groundout by Terry and a strike out by Berta.
“We had a older mature team,” said Willis. “They worked hard during practices and came to play with their ‘game faces’ on. You couldn’t ask anymore of these players.”

Owensboro 204 100- 7 7 1
Corbin 400 010- 5 4 4
Dalton West, Bryson Morrow (5) and Nolan Miller. Travis Smith and Josh Coppock. WP-West, LP-Smith. 2B-Foley (C), Owens (O), Jones (C). HR-West (O), Daugherty (O).