Golden Eagles repeat as 15th Region Champions; Johnson Central outlasts crosstown rival Paintsville in title game

Johnson Central repeated as the 15th Region Baseball Champion on Thursday, May 28. photo courtesy of Johnson Central High School

STAFF REPORT

BSN

PRESTONSBURG — Johnson Central has repeated as 15th Region Baseball Champion.

Continuing its latest postseason journey, Johnson Central defeated crosstown rival Paintsville 11-8 in the 15th Region Baseball Tournament championship game at StoneCrest on Thursday, May 28.

Chase Preece started on the mound for Johnson Central and earned the win. Preece pitched three and two-thirds innings for the Golden Eagles.

Aiding Johnson Central on the mound, Dalton Boner, Karson Powers and Kyler Callaham also pitched during the region title game.

Preece, Powers and Callaham recorded one strikeout apiece for the Golden Eagles.

Kruz Howell started on the mound for Paintsville and suffered the loss. Howell pitched one and two-thirds innings and recorded three strikeouts.

Aiding Paintsville defensively, Luke Stratton, Lukas Stewart and Brayden Davis each made relief appearances on the mound. Stratton and Stewart each struck out one Johnson Central batter.

Johnson Central scored 11 runs on 15 hits. Preece (one hit, one RBI), Boner (three hits, one RBI), Kaleb Callaham (four hits, six RBIs), Kyler Callaham (one hit), Braxton Perry (two hits), Mason McKenzie (two hits), Collin Cantrell (one hit, two RBIs) and Alex Marcum (one hit, one RBI) were Johnson Central’s top offensive contributors. Boner, Kyler Callaham and Kaleb Callaham each doubled.

Paintsville plated eight runs on eight hits. Stratton (two hits), Davis (one RBI), Colton Short (two hits), Brody Howell (two hits), Kruz Howell (one hit, two RBIs), Shane Blair (one hit, one RBI) and Dixon Kincheloe (one RBI) each contributed offensively for the Tigers. Delivering the lone extra-base hit for Paintsville. Stratton doubled.  

Johnson Central (32-8) is scheduled to meet 11th Region Champion Sayre (26-9) in the opening round of the KHSAA Baseball State Tournament presented by UK HealthCare at Legends Field in Lexington at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 4.