Kenton Ridge, the No. 4 seed, routed No. 2 seed Bellefontaine 8-2 on Thursday, May 20, at Bob Brenning Field in a Division II sectional final.
“I think it’s these jerseys,” Mamer said. “We brought them back. ... We wanted to change something up. Now we’re on a roll again.”
Kenton Ridge (20-7) earned a district final rematch with Franklin at 11 a.m. Saturday. Franklin (12-14) beat Middletown Fenwick 8-6 on Thursday. Last season, Franklin ousted the Cougars 8-2 in Mason.
The last time Kenton Ridge wore the yellow jerseys, in 2006, they won 18 games in a row before losing in the sectional final. That was Kenton Ridge’s only sectional final loss in the last seven seasons. They have won six during that span, including four in a row.
Mamer pitched a complete game with nine strikeouts, and it was his two-run home run to start the scoring in the first that set the tone. It was Kenton Ridge’s fifth home run in three sectional games.
“(Garrett) Pickering was leaving the fastball up high at first,” Mamer said of Bellefontaine’s pitcher. “I just waited back and turned on it, and luckily we got on them quick.”
Bellefontaine pitchers walked nine batters, including Kenton Ridge leadoff hitter Derek Toadvine four times. Mamer drove in three runs all together. Brandon Hube’s two-run single in the sixth was the final blow to Bellefontaine’s chances.
“We played well,” said Kenton Ridge coach Aaron Shaffer, whose team split with Bellefontaine in the regular season. “We played good defense, and Luke was around the plate. He had all three pitches working. When he can throw his fastball, changeup and curveball for strikes, he’s hard to hit because the ball moves everywhere. He did a great job for us.”
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