Lexington Catholic 1, Harrison County 0

• Patrick Maronde’s grounder was booted by Harrison County’s shortstop, allowing Ken Riley to score from third with the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning of a classic state tournament game. Riley led off with a walk, was sacrificed to second and moved to third on a fielder’s choice. Nick Maronde got the win in relief, pitching six innings of one-hit ball and striking out 11.
• A state-tournament record crowd of 5,364 watched at Applebee’s Park.
• Brandon Martin was the hard-luck losing pitcher. He went the full nine innings, and stretched his scoreless inning streak to 33 1/3 before LexCath pushed across the winning run.
• LexCath advances to play Lawrence County in Friday’s semifinals.
• We’re through eight innings and it’s still scoreless. Harrison County’s Brandon Martin has blanked the Knights on four hits.
• LexCath’s Nick Maronde struck out the side in the top of eighth (he has 5 K’s in a row and has 9 overall in 4 innings of relief). The Knights come to bat in the scoreless battle.
• We’re going to extra innings with no score. LexCath’s Ben Cloyd had a two-out double in the bottom of the seventh, but was stranded there. Before Cloyd’s hit, LexCath Coach Rodney Martin was ejected by home plate umpire Jim Sheridan. Martin was protesting a reversed call — safe to out — that cost the Knights a base runner.
• Through six, it’s still scoreless. LexCath’s Ken Riley hit a line drive that Harrison County shorstop Eric Case turned into a double play to end the innng.
• LexCath’s John Boneau had a one-out double, but was stranded at second as Brandon Martin got the next two batters. We go to the top of the sixth. Harrison County is still hitless. LexCath has two hits off Thorobreds’ starter Martin.
• Harrison County loaded the bases with two outs on an error and two walks, but Nick Maronde strikes out Malcolm Thomas on three pitches to end the top of the fifth.
• No score going to top of the fifth, and Nick Maronde is back on the mound for LexCath.
• Surprising move in the top of the fourth. Harrison County had a runner at second with two outs, and LexCath Coach Rodney Martin brought in ace lefty Nick Maronde to face left-handed hitter Brandon Martin. Maronde struck out Martin on three pitches. It was assumed that LexCath would try to hold Maronde for Saturday’s finals if the Knights would get there. We’ll have to wait and see if starter Michael Champa returns to the mound in the fifth.
• Still scoreless going to the fourth inning. Both pitchers are sharp.
• Lexington Catholic pitcher Michael Champa retired the first 8 batters he faced before giving up a walk to Christian Chasteen. Champa got his first strikeout of the game to end the third inning. There’s no score as the Knights come to bat in the bottom of the third.
• We’re under way, and neither team scored in the first inning. Harrison County went down 1-2-3, while LexCath had runners at first and second with two outs, but couldn’t cash in.
• Harrison County fans appear to outnumber LexCath fans 4 to 1. The Thorobreds look to have at least 1,500 supporters in the stands.