Kosciusko is 6-0 in Region 4-4A baseball following 24-1 and 13-0 victories over Louisville.
The Whippets are on a collision course with West Lauderdale, also unbeaten in region play, setting up a showdown for supremacy when the teams meet April 4 at Kosciusko and two days later at Collinsville.
In the first Louisville game, the Whippets scored seven runs in the first, eight in the second and nine more in the third. The game came to an end after Louisville scored its only run in the top of the fourth.
A 10-hit attack was aided by 15 walks and three hit batters. Landon Wallace had three singles and a walk, scored three runs and drove in one, and Bennie Powell singles, tripled, walked, scored twice and drive in two. Jacob Nunn, Ty Ramage, Cooper Black, Payton Odom and Drew Black each scored three times.
Nunn pitched two perfect innings with three strikeouts. Powell finished up, allowing four hits and an unearned run, with two strikeouts, in two innings.
In a five-inning game, the Whippets were held scoreless for two inning, before breaking through with five run rallies in the third and four and three in the fifth. Ramage went the distance allowing three hits, with six strikeouts.
Kosciusko pitchers did not give up a walk in either game.
Ramage and Larson Fancher led a 10-hit attack. Ramage singled and homered with three RBIs. Fancher had two doubles, two walks, drove in two runs and scored twice. Powell also homered, with three RBIs and two runs scored.
It wasn't nearly as easy when the Whippets ended the week by coming from behind for a 4-3 non-region victory over East Webster.
“East Webster is a really good team. Their pitchers threw well,” said coach Cole McBride. “Defensively, we made some big plays. There were a couple of times when we could have let it slip away from us, but we didn't. Offensively, we did not have one of our best days.”
Kosciusko was held scoreless the first three innings by East Webster pitcher Ethan Hillhouse, before scoring an unearned run in the fourth to tie the game at 1-1. After East Webster scored twice in the top of the fifth, Kosciusko responded with two in the bottom of the inning
The Whippets scored the winning run in the sixth. Barrett Kuhn was hit by a pitch and scored on a double by Andrew Mancell, who also singled during the fifth inning rally.
A key, McBride said, was that the Whippets only struck out once. “We made some adjustments with two strikes and that's good to see. We found a way to win it when we had the opportunity. It was a team win.”
The Whippets continued region play Tuesday against Northeast Lauderdale and will be at Northeast Friday. At 2 p.m. Saturday, Kosciusko has a home game with Ethel.
