The Burgin Bulldogs Baseball team (9-17) fell 1-5 in the first round of the 46th district to the top seeded Mercer County Titans (25-9) Tuesday, May 17. The game went all seven innings followed by the host team, West Jessamine Colts, beating East Jessamine, 2-1. 

Junior Jacob Qualls led off for the Bulldogs with Sam Baughman pitching for Mercer County. Hunter Reed had the first Burgin hit with a line drive  to left field, but Noah Broce and Eli Newby couldn’t bring him home before the end of the top of the first inning. Broce started on the mound for Burgin and the first three Mercer batters all flied out to center fielder Phillip Dodson to end the first inning. 

The second inning went quick with Aaron May and JT Boswell both striking out followed by Landen Sexton’s fly ball to left field being caught by Evan Hart. Caleb Purdom had the Titans first hit with a line drive single to right field. Hart and Isaac Beasley both flied out to Dodson who had five of Burgin’s six outs. Reed caught a line drive from Mercer’s designated hitter, Aaron Caton, to end the second inning. 

Baughman struck out David Lynn, Landon Oakes and Qualls in the top of the third inning. Broce followed up with three strikes on Heath Shewmaker. Riley Peavler made base off a bunt followed by a bunt from his brother Jackson Peavler that resulted in both getting out. R. Peavler was caught stealing second with a tag by Reed and Broce beat J. Peavler with a throw to May at first base. 

Broce and Newby both hit singles to right field to give the Bulldogs two on base, but May, Sexton and Reed all struck out in the top of the fourth inning. Mercer scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fourth with Devine getting on base from an error and later crossing home with the help from a sacrifice fly ball from Hart, 0-1. The Titans had Baughman in scoring position on third base, but Broce got the strikeout to end the fourth inning down one run.

 Burgin had three straight strikeouts from Boswell, Lynn and Oakes in the top of the fifth inning. Mercer’s final four runs came in the bottom of the inning starting with Shewmaker making it to third base off a Bulldog error. R. Peavler hit a line drive to left field to bring in Shewmaker and go up two runs, 0-2. The Peavler brothers and Devine all crossed home plate before Burgin could get out of the inning with Purdom getting caught stealing second, 0-5.

The top of the sixth inning started with Jacob Qualls getting walked, but he was caught stealing second. Reed made it to second base on a fly ball, but Newby and Broce both grounded out. May came in as relief pitcher for Broce in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Titans only registered one hit with Caton hitting a line drive to center field. 

May hit a line drive to right field to start the final inning. Sexton struck out followed by Boswell getting out on a ground ball. Lynn was walked and May stole third base. Oakes hit a fly ball to score home May, but Lynn was caught at third base to end the game, 1-5.

The Bulldogs showed a lot of fight going all seven innings and losing by four to a team that beat them by 10 twice earlier this season. Burgin heads home, but have a season they can be proud of and with no seniors on the team they look poised to make a great push next season.

Burgin Stats

Hitting - Reed 2 hits; Broce 1 hit, Newby 1 hit; May 1 run, 1 hit; Oakes 1 hit, 1 RBI.

Pitching - Broce - 5 innings, 8 hits, 5 runs, 2 strikeouts; May 1 inning, 1 hit.

Mercer Stats

 Hitting - J. Peavler 1 run, 1 hit; Devine 2 runs, 1 hit, 1 RBI; Baughman 2 hits, 1 RBI; Purdom 2 hits; Hart 1 RBI; Caton 1 hit; Shewmaker 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI; R. Peavler 1 run, 1 hit, 1 RBI. 

Pitching - Baughman 7 innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 14 strikeouts.