Six-run rally boosts Spartans into region title game

Published 11:15 pm Tuesday, May 27, 2025

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The Spartans celebrate winning 8-4 over the Trojans in the Region 4 semifinals at WKU’s Nick Denes Field on Tuesday, May 27, 2025. South Warren will face Warren East in Wednesday’s region championship. GRACE MCDOWELL / BOWLING GREEN DAILY NEWS

South Warren just needed a second cycle through the batting lineup to get going against Barren County in the Region 4 Baseball Tournament semifinals Tuesday at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field.

Held scoreless through the first two innings, the Spartans erupted for six runs in the third to spark an 8-4 win and claim a spot in Wednesday’s regional championship against Warren East.

South Warren (29-8) sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the third to transform a one-run deficit into a five-run lead – four hits, a pair of walks and two Trojans errors helped fuel the rally that returned the Spartans to the regional final for the second time in three years.

“They took the lead early, so it gets uncomfortable when the other team has the lead,” South Warren coach Chris Gage said. “You don’t want your players to get tight or anything like that, but second time through the order we were able to get after it.”

Barren County (24-11) got the scoring started in the top of the first inning. JP Hyde led off with a single, then stole second before Jackson Reece moved him over to third with a sacrifice bunt. Sutton Hyde followed by smashing a hard ground ball up the middle that crashed into Spartans starting pitcher Austin Allen’s led before bounding to the left side of the infield, where third baseman Camden Page scooped the ball and through to first for the out as the run scored.

The Spartans had a trio of singles in the first two innings, but really started making hard contact in the third. Page led off with a walk, Griffin Rardin followed with a single and then Ethan Reynolds walked to load the bases. Trojans starter Skylar Potter tried a pick-off through to first that sailed high, allowing a run to score.

One out later, South’s Ty Croghan delivered a two-run single to right to put the Spartans up 3-1. Then Jaxen Decker and Casey Green hit back-to-back RBI triples. Grey Pearson’s sacrifice fly RBI capped the six-run rally as South led 6-1.

It was the second straight game with a triple for Decker, who tallied one the night before in the 10-0 quarterfinal win against Logan County.

“Everybody says it’s my long legs,” Decker said. “I just see fastball, see curveball, put my hands to it, try to put it in the gap and just run until coach stops me.”

The Trojans kept battling, picking up a run in the top of the fourth on Price Thompson’s RBI single.

South Warren added on in the bottom of the fourth. Page led off by drawing another walk, then Rardin – who was named the Region 4 Player of the Year after the game – slashed an RBI double to left-center. Rardin finished the night with a 3-for-3 day at the plate plus provided his customary smooth play at shortstop.

“Great game tonight,” Gage said of Rardin. “The best defensive player I’ve ever seen in high school … maybe in college, too. He is ridiculously good defensively. He came to us advertised as a good defensive kid as a sophomore when his dad (current Western Kentucky baseball head coach Marc Rardin) moved into town and he’s added to that by becoming an offensive force.”

Decker picked up his second RBI of the game with a sac fly and South Warren led 8-2.

“We knew that we had to keep on adding,” Rardin said. “They’re a good team and you can’t end the game after the fourth inning.”

In the top of the fifth, Reece singled and Sutton Hyde followed with a double to put two runners in scoring position with one out. Gavin Coffey plated a run with an RBI groundout, then Axel Dysholm scored another on an infield hit. Dysholm got caught stealing for the third out, and Barren went quietly in the final two innings against Spartans reliever Tanner King.

Allen pitched five innings to earn the win for South, which totaled nine hits in the win.

“He gutted it out for us,” Gage said. “He hasn’t had his best stuff the last couple of starts, so that shows strength of mind that he was able to gut it out and get outs even without a couple of his pitches working. Two of his pitches really weren’t working very well, so just a quality start by him.”

BCHS 100 120 0 – 4 8 3

SWHS 006 200 x – 8 9 1

WP: Allen. LP: Potter.

About Jeff Nations

Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News

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