Wildcats head to playoffs with wins

As has become the norm this baseball season, the Livingston Academy Wildcats have had success at a very high level, and last week, the final week of the regular season, was no exception.

“It was a good week,” Head Coach Jamie Loftis pointed out after the final win on Saturday afternoon. “I thought we played very good in every game, despite losing that one to Upperman. We also beat Upperman, and we came from behind to win last night (Friday). Three wins in four games is good, and we’re set for the playoff next week.”

Last week, the Cats opened with a tremendous win over Upperman in Baxter. The Bees are the number one team in the district, and the Cats made the trip with determination and returned home with a solid 2-0 win.

The following night, the Bees came to Livingston with revenge on their minds, and got it with the help of a strong wind blowing to left field, solid hitting all around, and good defense. This time the tables were turned and the Cats fell 11-2.

That two-game series left Upperman as the regular season champs and put the Wildcats in a solid second place. Both teams have a bye when the playoffs start this week.

After a couple days off, the Cats returned to the diamond to host Warren County on Friday, and after trailing most of the game, staged a strong rally in the bottom of the seventh inning to post a come-from-behind 4-3 win .

Saturday afternoon, Clinton County, KY, crossed the state line to meet Livingston and went home with a 6-2 defeat.

And while the team was enjoying continued success, Carson Parrott had perhaps the best week of his baseball career at Livingston Academy. On the week, the senior pitched two games, won both, allowed only four total hits, two in each win, struck out 26 batters, had four hits, four runs batted in, and capped off the week with a 2-run home run.

Before Saturday’s game, Parrott confessed that the week had been “pretty good.”

“I had real good control against Upperman,” he pointed out. “My fastball was working really good. If I had to guess, I would have to say that was the best pitching of my career.”

When that game started, the Bees were in sole control of first place in the district with no defeats. Livingston had one setback.

The Wildcats got started quickly, scoring a run in the first when Parrott singled, went to second on a single by Tayshawn Hayes, advanced to third when Dylan York walked, then scored on a sacrifice fly by Dawson Ledbetter.

Livingston put the icing on the cake in the top of the seventh when RP Campbell singled, went to second on a bunt from Drew Goolsby, and scored on a single by Drayk Blankenship.

In the meantime, Parrott was having his way on the mound, and getting good defense from his teammates. The Cats did not commit a single error and allowed the Bees to only have four stranded baserunners.

The following night, Ledbetter didn’t have quite as much luck as he faced a team set with revenge and strong wind blowing out over the left field fence. The initial Upperman batter sent a pitch sailing over the wall, and in the second inning, yielded a second homer in almost the same spot, this time sending three runs across the plate for a 7-0 lead.

Ledbetter tried to halt the onslaught with a 2-run homer in the second, but that would be all the runs the Cats could produce.

Warren County came to Livingston on Friday and took a quick lead with a single run in the first inning and another in the third.

Livingston responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth when York walked, advanced on a single by Ledbetter, moved to third on a single by Campbell, and scored on a sacrifice by Goolsby.

Warren County took what looked like a winning run in the top of the seventh, but, trailing 3-1 going to the bottom of the final frame, the Cats rallied with three runs and won 4-3.

In that portion of the inning, Blankenship opened with a bunt single, advanced on a single by Zach Cotterman, and moved to third when Parrott was hit by a pitch. Hayes then singled, scoring two runs, then York sealed the win with a single, scoring Parrott.

“That was a good comeback win against a good team,” Coach Loftis explained. “I feel like that just makes this team more confident, knowing they have the ability to comeback if they have to. That might be real handy in the playoffs.”

Goolsby pitched six innings, and Ethan Westmoreland finished off the game. Goolsby gave up 6 hits and 3 earned runs while striking out 6.

At home Saturday, Parrott again was on the mound this time, striking out 14 Clinton, KY, batters enroute to a 36-2 LA win. Not only was he strong on the mound, but Parrott helped his own cause with three hits and two runs batted in that came on the home run.

With one game remaining in the regular season, Livingston has a fine 20-5 overall record.

With the playoffs starting this week, Livingston will face Stone Memorial, the only other team in the district to defeat the Cats, Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m. in Baxter.