Behind a 12-strikeout performance from left-handed pitcher Jaylan Hortenbury, Henry County defeated Eminence 4-0 on Thursday, April 25, to sweep the regular season series.
Hortenbury, a freshman, allowed no more than three hits in a complete game for the Wildcats.
“Jaylan, from start to finish, was a dog. He was throwing hard, throwing good, throwing strikes, had 12 strikeouts. He carried this team,” Henry County head coach Walker Paris said. “He had a couple hits at the bat as well, drove in a couple of runs. Defense backed him up as well. It was just a good all-around game.”
Pitching and defense were crucial for both squads throughout the night. Along with Hortenbury’s success on the mound, Eminence pitcher Tanner Simpson threw a complete game and earned a strikeout. The Warriors also earned a couple key defensive stops to leave Henry County scoreless in five of its six innings at the plate.
“We struggle with lefties, but (Jaylan’s) a good pitcher and he hit his marks on the outside and we were just reaching for it the whole time,” Eminence head coach T.J. Kelley said.
In the first inning, the Wildcats turned out a double play after Cooper Shaw and Landen Greer got on base early in the frame. Dallin Malone flied out to left field, and Shaw was tagged out advancing to second.
Hortenbury closed out the frame with a strikeout before adding a single to center field on offense in the bottom of the inning.
The Warriors left him on base, though, after snagging a fly ball in left field.
Hortenbury picked up three more strikeouts in four batters faced in the second inning.
In the bottom of the frame, Nicholas Bryan led off with a single to left field, but Eminence came away with a double play to thwart a potential attack.
Tanner Malone and Landen Greer teamed up to complete two outs before Dallin Malone caught a fly ball to keep the game scoreless through two innings.
Henry County limited the Warriors to a three up, three down outing in the top of the third before breaking open the game in the bottom half of the inning.
An error, a walk and a single loaded the bases for the Wildcats through the first three batters. Sawyer Yates followed with a walk to bring in Jonah White for the first run of the evening.
On the next play, Hortenbury launched a line drive single to center field to send Wyatt Ward home. Baylor Nolin scored on the throw as well to push the lead to 3-0.
Bryan singled to left field later in the frame to reload the bases before Yates scored on a ground out from Logan Perdue to extend the margin to 4-0.
After Henry County retired the Warriors in order, Nolin earned a single to left field in the bottom of the fourth. However, he was left on base after Hayden Kuhn caught a deep fly ball in right field.
Eminence broke its dry spell in the fifth inning, as Jake Whitaker singled to left field and Austin Bright got on base off a bunt.
The Wildcat defense stepped up and earned back-to-back outs after Bright’s bunt to leave both runners stranded.
In the bottom of the fifth, Camden Peyton earned a single to left field and Perdue reached on an error by Eminence. Similar to the Warriors’ trip to the plate, both runners were left on base to keep the score at 4-0.
Both teams retired the side in order in the sixth inning, and Eminence drew two walks in the top of the seventh inning to keep the game within reach.
Yet, Hortenbury closed out the frame with a strikeout to preserve Henry County’s win.
“I think we kind of felt like we made a run in the sixth and seventh, but we just came up short,” Kelley said.
Bryan, Hortenbury and Nolin ended with two hits apiece for the Wildcats. Yates added a run and an RBI, and White and Ward chipped in a run apiece as well.
“We’re hitting the baseball. We’re finally hitting the ball. We only struck out one time tonight and it’s just getting everybody’s confidence up,” Paris said.
After the matchup, Eminence fell to 6-7 on the season and Henry County moved to 7-12 overall.
Even with both losses, Kelley remains optimistic the Warriors can break the Wildcats’ rivalry win streak soon.
“Like I said the other night, we’re both very good baseball teams, and I’m hoping we see them again,” Kelley said. “I think we can play with them. We’re on the verge, and in year past it hasn’t been that way.”