Preston Barnes’ two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth inning looked to be the play of the game in Danville’s 3-0 win over Lafayette in the KHSAA State Baseball Tournament quarterfinals at Lexington Legends Ballpark on Wednesday.
Then Barnes somehow topped it.
In the top of the sixth inning, Lafayette caught a break against Danville starter Ethan Wood as Micah Cowen reached on an error and Ben Prather and Carter Owens each singled to load the bases with two out. Those were only the second and third hits Wood allowed all game.
Lafayette’s Owen Jenkins hit a solid grounder into the hole at shortstop. Third baseman Bryson Young dove for it head first and missed. But behind Young, Barnes slid to a knee and backhanded the ball into his glove. Bouncing to his feet in one motion, he turned toward first base and hurled a throw that beat the runner by a step.
“When I got it in my glove, I just took a deep breath and looked to see where he was and threw him out,” Barnes said, matter-of-factly.
His coach was more impressed.
“That play he made there in the sixth inning — that’s a big-league play,” Danville’s Dan Morse said.
Lafayette Coach Chris Langston could not believe it.
“That play in the sixth inning was amazing,” Langston said. “I thought that was rolling through, and we were going to get two (runs) at least. They are really good.”
Danville, ranked No. 2 in the Prep Baseball Report Power Rankings behind Trinity, leads the state with 84 team home runs. Trinity is second with 46.
Some might question Danville’s power numbers because of the size of the Admirals’ home field (It’s about 300 feet from home plate in every direction there, according to Google Maps. The fence is 12 feet high, though).
But Barnes’ shot in the fourth inning high over the left-field fence of a minor league ballpark (321 feet) showed Danville’s power is not a mere myth. Barnes has 16 homers on the year, Christian Howe, 20, and Wood 17.
“We might play in a small park, but all of them go that far or farther all year long,” Morse said. “I’ve been hearing that since I was in high school. I tell people all the time, ‘We’re not the only team playing on that field.’ We’ve hit close to 90 this year and haven’t given up that many.”
Barnes said the size of the field does not matter. His team can crush it if they get their pitch. He got his.
“In the box, I looked at the count (one ball, two strikes) and I knew what he was about to throw,” Barnes said. “I honestly didn’t know it was going to be inside, but as soon as I saw him go inside, I knew that was my pitch. I had it locked on.”
Barnes’ shot followed a single by Brady Morse and an RBI double by Howe, a Kentucky commit, that went down the right-field line and hit the wall. Lafayette’s Cowen and Wood had been locked in a pitchers’ duel with Cowen allowing only one hit to that point and Wood allowing no hits through 4⅔ innings.
“We played well,” Langston said. Lafayette’s two errors didn’t factor in the scoring. “When you play as good as you can play and you get beat, that team’s better than you. We didn’t make mistakes. We didn’t play like we weren’t supposed to be here. I’m very proud of them. We rolled the ball a lot and they made all the plays.”
Wood pitched all seven innings for his team-high 10th win of the season with eight strikeouts.
“He thrives in these situations,” Morse said of Wood. “Tonight, his fastball had some hop on it and at 6-7 it’s getting on these guys and then he was throwing that slider wherever he wanted for strikes.”
The 6-foot-7 Louisville commit’s fastball was recorded at 93 mph at times, one of the fastest in the state.
“I’ve been waiting for this game. I did it. We did it,” Wood said. “P. Barnes, he clutched up for us at the plate and we got the dub (win).”
Next, Danville faces No. 4 McCracken County, the 2019 runner-up and a 13-2 winner over Collins in Wednesday’s early game.
The win over Lafayette gave the Admirals 40 wins on the season, making Danville only the sixth team to achieve that milestone. All of the others won state titles.
“That just put some more pressure on us,” Morse said with a smile when asked about the mark. “But no, winning 40 games is special in the state of Kentucky. We’re going to come out and give this next game on Friday our best effort and see what happens.”
McCracken County routs Collins
McCracken County has been to the state baseball tournament every year of its existence, reaching the finals in 2019 and the semis each of the three years prior.
“We get so close every year. We’re really trying to finish it out this year and take it back home,” said junior third baseman/pitcher Jack Bennett.
Bennett did his part in Wednesday’s quarterfinals, going 3-for-4 with six RBI as the No. 4 Mustangs defeated Collins 13-2 in a run-rule shortened five inning game.
“I felt good at the plate,” Bennett said. “I just try to stay relaxed and do the best that I can to help my team.”
His biggest blow came in the third inning, a three-run homer to left-center. Leadoff hitter Ben Higdon hit a two-run homer as part of a six-run second inning. Clearly, McCracken, one of the leading batting average teams in the state at .363, came ready to play.
“We wanted to get out early and get some separation,” McCracken Coach Zach Hobbs said. “We never would have dreamed we’d shorten the game up. That wasn’t something we really prepared for, but, obviously, we’re glad that happened.”
McCracken’s home field “is bigger than Busch Stadium,” so unlike many high school teams coming to state, the Mustangs prepare all season for big-league field dimensions.
“We’re used to playing in a big ballpark and we like playing in this ballpark,” Hobbs said.
McCracken got four innings on the mound from freshman Ross Aldridge, who allowed two runs on three hits with three strikeouts.
“If you had told me back in September when we started our workouts in August that Ross Aldridge would be pitching for us in the first game at the quarterfinals of the state tournament, I probably would have lost everything I owned,” Hobbs joked. “But he has done an awesome job and he’s worked super hard in our program and really learned how to pitch this year.”
That performance allowed the Mustangs to save the hard-throwing Joshua Tucker and Higdon for Friday’s semifinals.
“Our guys came out aggressive today and swung the bats really well,” Hobbs said. “It definitely was the start we were looking for today trying to advance and survive to Friday.”
State tournament
At Lexington Legends Ballpark
Wednesday
Danville 3, Lafayette 0
McCracken Co. 13, Collins 2
Thursday
Lyon Co. vs. Whitley Co., (n)
Hazard vs. Trinity, (n)
Friday
5 p.m.: Danville vs. McCracken Co.
8:30 p.m.: Thursday’s winners meet
Saturday
7 p.m.: Championship game