Thursday’s game against Sayre will mark Johnson Central’s fourth trip to the KHSAA State Baseball Tournament since 2021. This time, the Golden Eagles will face a familiar opponent.
Johnson Central and Sayre met May 9 in the Fayette County Invitational Tournament, where the Spartans rolled to an 11-0 win in five innings. But the Golden Eagles have had time to refine their game and know exactly what they’re getting into this time around. In fact, Johnson Central has not lost since that matchup, rattling off seven straight wins entering the state tournament.
The Golden Eagles bring the best record in the 15th Region into the game at 32-8. For comparison, Paintsville owns the region’s second-best mark at 22-13. There’s clearly plenty of talent both at the plate and on the mound in Johnson County, so let’s take a look at some of the players leading the charge at Johnson Central.
Johnson Central’s biggest weapon at the plate is senior Chase Preece. While Preece doesn’t own the highest batting average on the team at .309, he makes his presence felt in plenty of other ways. He has blasted 10 home runs, second-most on the team, and driven in 41 runs. Preece also has a strong eye at the plate, drawing 25 walks and being hit by pitches 11 times to help get on base.
Another offensive threat for the Golden Eagles is junior Braxton Perry. Perry leads the team with a .375 batting average. He has collected 48 hits in 128 at-bats while scoring 41 runs and driving in 27 more. He’s also a threat on the basepaths, leading the team with 34 stolen bases in 37 attempts.
On the mound, Johnson Central has no shortage of options. The Golden Eagles have used 11 pitchers this season, ranging from eighth graders to seniors.
One who stands out is junior Levi Pennington. Pennington started 14 games, appeared in 15 and logged 55.2 innings. During that span, he struck out 42 batters and posted a 1.89 ERA.
Now let’s take a look at Sayre. The Spartans enter the state tournament with a 26-9 record. Their most recent loss came in the 42nd District championship game, a 2-0 setback to Henry Clay at the Sayre Athletic Complex. A tough home loss.
At the plate, Sayre is led by junior Joaquin Acevedo and senior Gibson Gary.
Acevedo carries a .400 batting average. In 105 at-bats, he has collected 42 hits, including a home run, while scoring 22 runs and driving in 23. He has also swiped 15 bases in 16 attempts.
Gary has been even more productive at the plate, hitting .426. In 94 at-bats, he has recorded 40 hits, including seven home runs. He has scored 43 runs, driven in 28 and stolen 28 bases.
Like Johnson Central, Sayre has plenty of pitching depth, using 12 pitchers this season.
The Spartans’ top arm has been senior Lachlan Heinrich, who started 11 games and struck out 82 batters while posting a 1.16 ERA.
It will be interesting to see how this rematch plays out. The game is scheduled for Thursday at Legends Field in Lexington, with first pitch set for 8:30 p.m. The Golden Eagles will be looking to keep their winning streak alive and turn the tables on the team that handed them one of their toughest losses of the season.
