CORBIN — It’s path to a second consecutive region title wasn’t an easy one, but in the end, Cody Philpot’s Corbin Redhounds got the job done.
Injuries, a slow start, and a stretch from April 28 to May 10 that led only one win in six games while entering postseason play with a 3-6 mark during their last nine games before the start of the 13th Region Tournament were just a few of the obstacles the Redhounds overcame.
But Corbin caught fire when it mattered most, capturing its second straight regional title while winning three games in a row for the first time in over a month.
“The most important part of a run at region is always getting there,” Philpot said. “That made the South Laurel game huge with both of us feeling like we had a shot if we got there. Whitley got us in the District but we felt like we’d made some mistakes that if we could correct then we could get them the next time around. A gem by (Lucas) Tarvin and playing a clean game behind him, we were able to make that happen.
“Injuries are always a tough part of baseball,” he added. “It’s always a long grinding season but when you put some injuries on top of that, it can be tough. Our guys never wavered, even through some losses that shouldn’t have happened, we could see who we really were if we put it all together. We want to win every time we step on the field but at the end of the day the regular season is for us to prepare for the postseason. So the key is learning and continuing to get better and hopefully be hitting stride when it matters.”
Philpot also credits his team’s “never quit” attitude to their recent success.
“It’s been key for us this last couple of weeks,” he admitted. “We’ve got a lot of guys that have had roles on our past Region runs and they know how to prepare and be relaxed enough to perform in these big games.”
Another tough schedule also allowed his team’s to be ready for what was to come once postseason play began.
“Without question, our schedule was tough, especially when we faced several of our big opponents without being full strength,” Philpot said. “But even then, it becomes vital experience for some young guys and role players that were key in our run as well.”
Even when his team’s struggled, Philpot said a big key was his players never losing faith.
“Many may have counted us out a few weeks ago but we knew we were just a couple of plays or timely hits away from putting it all together,” he said. “A huge shoutout to our community for always showing up to support these guys. We’d also like to thank our school and administration for all they do in helping make this program what it is.”
