Cardinals are Class 1A State Champions!

The North Clay/Clay City Cardinals are the state champions of Class 1A baseball.

The Cardinals posted a 12-4 win over the Brown County Hornets to win the title Saturday. The contest was heard on KJ Country 102.3 and www.kjcountry.com. 

As the Friday semifinal game started, the Cardinals scored a run in the first on a walk to Logan Fleener, a wild pitch, and a two-base error to take a 1-0 lead. 

Brown County bounced back to tie the game with a run in the bottom, the same as what happened in Friday's game.

Also as in Friday's game, the Cardinals posted a big second inning. Carson Burkett and Dakota Weidner started the frame with back-to-back singles and with one out, Bryton Griffy reached on a fielder's choice that loaded the bases. Collyn Ballard then singled home two runs. One out later, Holden Clifton singled home two more runs and the Cardinals were up 5-1 heading to the bottom of the second.

Brown County scored single tallies in the third and fifth innings, but the Cardinals started rolling again in the sixth. Weidner doubled to lead off the inning and Layton Dawkins singled him home. Griffy then singled, Fleener reached on an error to score another run, and Clifton hit a sacrifice fly to score a third run and put the Cardinals ahead 8-3.

That set the stage for the seventh inning. Donnie Zimmerman led off with an infield single. With two outs, Dawkins and Griffy coaxed back-to-back walks to load the bases and Ballard was hit by a pitch to force home a run. Fleener then singled to drive home the final two runs.

Carson Burkett started for the Cardinals and pitched two-plus innings, allowing two runs on seven hits with no walks or strikeouts. Clifton pitched the final five innings, allowing two runs on five hits, walking two and fanning six.

Despite the lopsided score, Brown County was a tough customer, banging out 12 hits. The Hornets finished the season with a 28-5 record.

For the Cardinals: Collyn Ballard--single, hit by pitch, 3 RBI...Logan Fleener--walk, single, run scored, 2 RBI...Holden Clifton--single, sacrifice fly, 3 RBI...Brady Ingram--single...Donnie Zimmerman--single, run scored...Carson Burkett--walk...Alex Boose--run scored...Dakota Weidner--double, single, two runs scored...Layton Dawkins--single, two walks, two runs scored, RBI...Bryton Griffy--single, walk, three runs scored

North Clay/Clay City finished the season with a 33-6...a season record for victories for the Cardinals.

A reception for the Cardinals will take place from 4 to 6pm today in the Courthouse square in downtown Louisville.

Ottawa Marquette beat LeRoy 12-0 in five innings to take third place honors in 1A. 

Team members for the Cardinals are Evan Clifton, Logan Fleener, Layton Dawkins, Collyn Ballard, Miguel Blazquez, Jacob Hoyt, Bryton Griffy, Aiden Jones, Landon Frye, Gavin Hosselton, Donnie Zimmerman, Daniel Warren, Alex Boose, Keegan Sullens, Holden Clifton, Dakota Weidner, Carson Burkett, Jesse Weidner, Brady Ingram, and Matt Sullens. The Cardinals are coached by John Frech, assisted by Hunter Clifton.