The Vikings have won 31 consecutive games coming into Thursday’s quarterfinals match up. The Mustangs have won 21 of their last 22 games. The headliner for the game is Kentucky’s newest “Mr. Baseball”, Rowan County’s AJ Hacker, who won the coveted honor earlier this week.
On the season, Hacker has 11 wins to only 1 loss with a 0.55 ERA. In 76.2 innings pitched, Hacker has given up only six earned runs, has 129 strikeouts, and only given up 23 walks. Hacker is one of seven Rowan County pitchers with an ERA below 2.00.
The Mustangs also boast a dominant pitching staff, led this season by senior Jacob Ehling. On the season, Ehling has 7 wins to only 1 loss with a 0.84 ERA. Right behind Ehling in ERA is senior Dylan Schneider, who boasts a 0.88 ERA with 6 wins and just 1 loss. As a team, the Mustangs Team ERA this season is 1.64.
The bats have been the story for the Mustangs over the final month of the season. During this stretch of 21 wins in 22 games for McCracken County, the Mustangs have averaged just under 9 runs per game, including a 14-1 win over Hopkinsville in the Semi-State round at Western Kentucky University on Saturday.
Leading the Mustangs in hits this season is senior Logan Verble with 35 hits and a .376 batting average. Junior Elijah Wheat is just behind Verble in hits with 34 hits and a .329 batting average, and junior Grant Davis is next with 33 hits and a .363 batting average.
The Mustangs and the Vikings square off in the quarterfinals of the Whitaker Bank KHSAA State Baseball Tournament Thursday at 4:30pm Central Time. You can listen to the action live on 99.5FM The Fan.
