{"id":48341,"date":"2019-05-23T08:30:00","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T16:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/sports\/live-region-v-baseball-action-begins-with-rainy-pitchers-duel\/"},"modified":"2019-05-25T18:34:34","modified_gmt":"2019-05-26T02:34:34","slug":"live-region-v-baseball-action-begins-with-rainy-pitchers-duel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.juneauempire.com\/sports\/live-region-v-baseball-action-begins-with-rainy-pitchers-duel\/","title":{"rendered":"Live: Regional comes down to winner-take-all game"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\t\t\t\t

6:20 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Boy, things escalated quickly here.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan put together an eight-run fourth inning, including a grand slam from Kiffer. It’s not every day that you see two grand slams in one afternoon. All of a sudden, this went from a game that still felt somewhat winnable for JDHS to a mercy-rule loss.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan wins, 15-2 and claims the Region V tournament title to go alongside its regular-season title. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Both teams are still going to the state tournament, though. Coach Luke Adams said postgame that he didn’t like the team’s execution today, and hopes they can turn things around before the tournament next weekend.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

5:55 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Just spent a few innings on the field taking photos, but not much has changed.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan leads 8-2 over JDHS in the bottom of the fourth, and time is running out for the Bears. <\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

4:55 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

As you might expect, Ketchikan has an answer. The Kings climb on top, scoring six times in the bottom half of the first — so far.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

JDHS starter Christian Ludeman struggles with his control throughout the inning, handing out three walks, hitting a batter and throwing a couple of wild pitches. Coach Luke Adams replaces him with Austin McCurley, with the Bears down 6-1 in the first.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

4:45 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

We’re back at it at Adair-Kennedy. JDHS pushes a run across in the first inning, thanks to two walks and two hard-hit singles. In the middle of the first, JDHS leads 1-0.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

3:40 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Whoops, wasn’t thinking about the mercy rule. JDHS can’t score in the sixth, and the game is over. Ketchikan wins, 14-2, forcing a final game that will happen here in a little bit.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

3:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

It’s 14-2 after that long, long inning. It’s the bottom of the sixth — two more chances for JDHS to stage an improbable comeback.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

3:18 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

The floodgates have opened. A cavalcade of errors and hard-hit balls (including a home run from Ketchikan pitcher Liam Kiffer) leads to four more runs for the Kings in the fifth — and there still aren’t any outs. The lead has stretched to 11-2. Barring something remarkable, we’ll have a winner-take-all game this evening for the title.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:55 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan ads another run in the fifth thanks to a bases-loaded walk. But Brock McCormick, who switched places with Kona Ogoy when Ogoy came in to pitch for McCormick, stops the bleeding. Ketchikan’s C.J. Paule tried to tag up and score on a fly ball to left, but McCormick made a perfect throw and catcher Luis Mojica applied the tag to get Paule out at home (that’s the second time in two games Paule has been thrown out at home, for what it’s worth).<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

So, middle of the fifth, Ketchikan leads 7-2.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

2:20 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Never a dull moment between these two teams. JDHS responds with two runs in the bottom of the first to take the lead, but Ketchikan’s star Wyatt Barajas had another huge moment in the top of the second.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

In the first inning, Barajas flew out to deep right field. With the bases loaded in the second, he hit a fly ball in the same direction — but with a little more on it. The ball sailed over the fence for a grand slam, and the Kings added one more later in the inning to bump up their lead to 6-2.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Here’s a photo of Barajas’ swing:<\/p>\n

\"Ketchikan’s<\/a>

Ketchikan’s Wyatt Barajas watches a grand slam home run off his bat in the Region V title game on Saturday, May 25, 2019. (Alex McCarthy | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t

A reminder: Ketchikan has to beat JDHS twice today to capture the Region V crown.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

1:44 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan loads the bases in the first but can’t add to its lead. In the middle of the first, it’s 1-0 Kings.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

1:40 p.m., Saturday<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

We have a rematch on our hands, as Ketchikan beat Sitka this morning to advance to the championship against JDHS. Brock McCormick, who got the save for the Bears yesterday, gets the start for JDHS today.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Ketchikan strikes first, as Cody Kemble drives in Brock King on a sac fly deep down the right field line. The Kings are getting good contact, as both of their outs have been deep flyouts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

4:05 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

Check out this photo of Ogoy (who had two key hits and scored the game-winning run) and McCurley celebrating postgame.<\/p>\n

\"Juneau-Douglas’<\/a>

Juneau-Douglas’ Kona Ogoy, right, celebrates with teammate Austin McCurley after scoring the go-ahead run in the seventh inning against Ketchikan during the Region V Baseball Championship at Adair-Kennedy Memorial Park on Friday, May 24, 2019. (Michael Penn | Juneau Empire)<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t

3:30 p.m.<\/strong><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

JDHS hangs on to win 7-5 and advance to the regional final tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. See the last out below.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t