The 14U Southern Kentucky Sluggers will be playing at Disney. The Sluggers traveled to Columbus, Ohio June 4-5 where they participated in the USSSA Super NIT in the Major Division. The Sluggers went 4-2 and earned their spot in the Elite 32 USSSA World Series. This tournament features the top 32 teams in the nation at their age and will be held July 9-16.
The Sluggers played their first game early Saturday morning beating the Manchester A’s from Akron, Ohio 10-1. Muhlenberg County’s Cortland Hampton and Columbus, Ind.’s Cameron Curry combined for a no-hitter on the mound for the Sluggers. Their next game the Sluggers didn’t fair well as they were downed by the Ohio Heat from Cincinnati 7-3. This put the Sluggers as the #7 ranked team in the tournament going into single elimination play, which started Saturday night.
They faced off against the Motor City Hit Dogs from Detroit. This game started Saturday evening and would have to be finished Sunday morning. The Sluggers were leading 4-2 when they broke on Saturday night and ended up winning the game 5-3. Curry pitched a complete game, going 7 innings and only walking 2. The Sluggers would then face off against the #2 seed, who had a bye because of their good play on Saturday and was 2-0 in the tournament. The team was Cubs Baseball out of Raleigh, NC. Logan County’s Ian Woodall took the mound for the Sluggers and dominated. Woodall pitched a complete game shutout, winning the game 1-0. Woodall also got the only RBI as he drove in Portland, Tenn.’s Brett Ferguson on a double to right center.
The win put them in the semifinals versus the #3 seed, which was also undefeated with a 3-0 record and they had a 10-game winning streak on the line, the Beaver Valley Red from Pittsburgh, Pa. Beaver Valley had already qualified for Disney by winning a Super NIT the weekend before. They were ranked among the top 10 teams in the nation and had four All-Americans in 2010 returning this year. Logan County’s Caleb Bruner took the hill for the Sluggers and pitched 6 1/3 innings, getting the win. Hampton came in to relieve Bruner in the 7^th when he got into trouble.
“Bruner kept the All-Americans off stride and frustrated all game with his off speed pitching” says Head Coach Kevin Gettings.
Down 2-1 in the fourth, Russellville’s Zach Denney stepped up with two outs and the bases loaded. He drilled a double down the first base line, driving in three to give the Sluggers the 4-2 lead. That would be enough from Bruner as he pitched a gem the rest of the way.
“The win was the biggest in the Sluggers organization’s history, noted Gettings, who has been there from the beginning. “Not only was it against a highly ranked team/players, but it gave our team a much deserved berth to Disney.”
In the finals the Sluggers matched up against Gravel Baseball from Chicago, Ill.. The Sluggers were short-handed already with Owensboro Apollo’s Nate Hopewell not in attendance because of his team qualifying for the KHSAA State Tournament. They were out of pitching and exhausted and lost to a good team that is also ranked in the top 25 in the nation and has an All-American on their team as well.
“We had a great weekend of baseball and I couldn’t be more proud of our boys,” Gettings said. “Our defense was great all weekend, our pitching was great, we executed well and we took advantage of opportunities when our opponents gave us the chance. The coaching staff challenged the boys all weekend and told them to want it more than the other team and they did. It was an unbelievable performance but I am not surprised coming from this group of kids.”
Sluggers will regroup and play in the Kentucky USSSA State Tournament June 24-26 before going to Disney. Some of the Sluggers sponsors are Barnes Insurance, Cates Cabinets, Gerald Printing, Logan Animal Clinic, Pratt’s Auto and Atmos Energy.
In addition to the pitchers already named, members of the team are Daniel Beaty, Joe Holliday, Matt Harper, Barrett Croslin and Jacob Wood. Phil Holliday and, Chris Bruner are on the coaching staff.