The Bracken County Polar Bears headed to Eastern Kentucky University on Saturday to take on the Sayre Spartans in the first round of the All “A” state tournament.
Sayre put the first runs on the board in the top of the second inning, with a single from Charlie Scoggin and an error from Ross Lucas allowing Reed Beatty to reach first, another single from Travis Smith brought the Spartans their first run of the game. another single from Brody Beall would then allow both Smith and Beatty to score, the Spartans leading 3-0 over the Polar Bears heading into the bottom of the second.
The Spartans would then score their fourth run of the game in the top of the third, with Gary Gibson walking and working his way to third, and a sacrifice fly from Scoggin sending him home to score.
Bracken County was down 4-0 heading into the bottom of the third, and were hoping to make up some ground while still in the first half of the contest. A single and a walk would put Lucas in scoring position, advancing to third on an error from Sayre shortstop Lucas Saatman and scoring on a wild pitch. This unfortunately, would be the Polar Bears’ only run of the inning.
Both teams defenses from the fourth inning on, would battle back and forth, allowing no runners to reach home. Bracken County pitcher Hank Krift threw six complete innings, racking up eight strikeouts throughout the contest, allowing just five hits. The gloves backing him up were also working hard to hold the Spartans back, and give Bracken County a chance to pull ahead for the win. Unfortunately for the Polar Bears, Sayre’s defense was working just as hard, successfully holding Bracken County to just one run throughout the rest of the game, the Spartans taking the contest 4-1 in the bottom of the seventh.
Sayre then advanced to the semifinals, taking on the Lyon County Lyons, falling 7-5. In the championship round, the Lyons took on the Owensboro Catholic Aces, having defeated Pikeville 3-1 in the semifinals.
While the Polar Bears returned home after the quarterfinals, the team has a lot to be proud of. Having won the 10th Region All “A” Classic championship, defeated the Beechwood Tigers to make it to the state tournament, and putting up a tough fight against Sayre, the Polar Bears have proven themselves to be a tough opponent for any team throughout the state of Kentucky, and one of the 10th region’s strongest.
The Polar Bears’ season record now sits at 11-6, and the team will be working hard throughout the last month of the season to enter the district tournament prepped, and ready to go, hoping for their first district championship in nearly a decade.
