VERSAILLES, KY — In a twelve-inning game between the Colonels of Whitley County and the Yellow Jackets of Woodford County, the Colonels come out victorious with a final score of 12-11.
When I spoke with the head coach of the Colonels Jeremy Shope he said, ” Proud of our guys in how they competed against a good ball club. We took some punches and kept punching back. What a fun ballgame to be a part of. It was highly competitive and back and forth. We will be better because of it. Great experience going into the postseason.”
In a thrilling display of offensive prowess, both the Colonels and the Yellow Jackets showcased their hitting abilities, amassing an impressive 15 and 16 hits, respectively, in what turned out to be a high-scoring affair.
The Woodford County Yellow Jackets wasted no time in getting on the scoreboard, with Ryan Cecil’s first-inning double driving in two runs, setting the tone for an intense battle at the plate. However, the Whitley County Colonels quickly responded, seizing a 4-2 lead in the top of the fourth inning behind clutch singles from EJ Allen and Bryce Anderson.
Not to be outdone, the Woodford County Yellow Jackets rallied back in the bottom of the fourth, knotting the score at 4-4 thanks to Cecil’s solo blast over the left field fence and a timely single from Justus Wertzler. The seesaw battle continued into the fifth inning, with Woodford County breaking the tie and surging ahead 6-4 on a sacrifice fly by Collin Kemp and a subsequent single by Brayden Burton.
But the resilient Whitley County Colonels refused to back down, mounting a spirited comeback in the seventh inning to reclaim an 8-6 lead, fueled by patient at-bats from Chris Cureton and EJ Allen, as well as a crucial double play by Anderson.
Woodford County once again rallied, knotting the score at 8-8 in the bottom of the seventh on timely hits from Landon Heim. The game remained deadlocked until the ninth inning when the Colonels surged ahead 10-8 on a clutch double by EJ Allen and another RBI single from Bryce Anderson.
Just when it seemed the game was slipping away, the Yellow Jackets fought back once more, tying the score at 10-10 in the bottom of the ninth on a single by Brandon Bishop and a key walk drawn by Taylor Penn.
As tension mounted, an error in the top of the twelfth inning proved costly for the Woodford County Yellow Jackets, allowing the Whitley County Colonels to seize a 12-10 lead, ultimately securing the hard-fought victory.
Pitching proved pivotal in the marathon contest, with Tyler Rose delivering a stellar performance to earn the win for the Whitley County Colonels, while JB Martin endured a tough outing, absorbing the loss for the Woodford County Yellow jackets.
EJ Allen and Bryce Anderson led the offensive charge for the Whitley County Colonels, while Cecil and Wertzler spearheaded the attack for the Woodford County Yellow Jackets.
In a game marked by relentless back-and-forth action, both teams demonstrated remarkable resilience and determination, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats until the final out was recorded.
