YSE File Photo
University Heights Academy earned a pair of wins in just nine total innings Monday, as the Blazers defeated Henderson County twice in an unconventional doubleheader in Hopkinsville. It’s UHA’s first two-game winning streak over the Colones in over 23 years.
Resuming a tied matchup that was suspended in the bottom of the ninth inning last week due to inclement weather, the Blazers used a two-out, two-run single by Courtland Gibson to outlast the Colonels 3-1 in 11 innings. A couple hours later, after scoring all of their runs in the first inning, the Blazers defeated the Colonels again, 5-2, in their regularly scheduled game, giving UHA its sixth victory in its past nine games.
During Game Two of Monday’s unique double-dip, Heights wasted no time seizing control. Despite Henderson putting two runners on base via errors to start the game, and scoring on Paxton’s Gardner’s RBI groundout in the top of the first, the Blazers managed to answer in a significant way.
After UHA loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom half of the first, it proceeded to manufacture a slew of game-winning runs, including RBI walks by Aiden Jones and Ryan Luckey. Sam Belt, whose grounder led to a run on a Henderson error earlier in the inning, later scored on a wild pitch to give the Blazers a 5-1 lead at home. And that’s all they would need.
Cadence Gibson (2-0) allowed just two hits and struck out four during seven innings to make the first-inning explosion stand up. He walked just two during the complete-game effort, including a dominant 1-2-3 inning in the final frame on just eight pitches.
Belt and Pace both finished 2-for-3 to lead the UHA offense. Luckey went 0-for-2 but had a walk and an RBI. Courtland Gibson (1-for-2) scored and stole a pair of bases for the Blazers, who improved to 14-8 on the season. The Colonels (7-16) have now lost seven straight games.
Gardner (0-1) took the loss after taking the mound for the first time this season. He allowed just one hit but walked four in his lone inning of work. Gavin Herndon, who also pitched for the first time in 2024 for Henderson County, struck out three and gave up four hits in five innings of shutout relief.
UHA will now hit the road for three consecutive away games, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Union County. The Blazers return home May 2 for an important 8th District doubleheader against crosstown rival Hopkinsville.
