By Chris Fuller
Kentucky Scouting Director

As the year comes to a close, we take a look back at some of the most memorable moments/stories from the 2013 high school baseball season.� While it was difficult to choose only ten, here is the list as we take a look back at the 2013 season that was.

10.� Bullitt East wins 18 straight to begin the season – Bullitt East had a run to begin the season almost as impressive as the Collins run when it reeled off 18 wins in a row.� The Chargers opened their season on March 14 and didn’t lose until Warren East handed them a 4-2 defeat on April 20.� Bullitt East finished the season 33-4, losing in the 6^th region semifinals to eventual State Champion PRP.

9. �Collins wins 20 in a row to begin the season – Collins opened the 2013 season with a run of 20 straight victories.� The Titans began their season on March 9 and didn’t lose their first game until April 18 at Grant County.� They finished the season 33-7 with an 8^th Region Championship, upsetting Tates Creek in the first round of the State Tournament before falling to Henderson County in the quarterfinals.

8.� Duckworth’s home run barrage – Henderson County’s Kaleb Duckworth went on a record-setting home run tear when he homered in 5 consecutive games during the month of May.� Duckworth hit a total of 7 home runs in that five-game span on his way to leading the state with 11 home runs for the season.� He showed that power again at the PBR Kentucky Top Prospect Games event when he launched a 400 foot home run and committed to Western Kentucky University shortly thereafter.

7.� Tates Creek advances to State Tournament – For the first time since 1990, the Commodores emerged as 11^th Region champions, earning a bid to the State Tournament.� Tates Creek had finished runner-up on four different occasions since its last regional title.� Their season included an impressive 18-game winning streak that included wins over Madison Central, West Jessamine, Woodford County, Lexington Catholic, Lafayette, and Scott County.� Their stay in the tournament was short-lived, however, as they suffered a first-round loss to Collins.

6. Breathitt County LHP Alex Hamilton sets 2 Kentucky strikeout records - Alex Hamilton, now a freshman at Eastern Kentucky University, set two state strikeout records when he fanned 25 batters in a 9-inning performance against Jackson City.� Hamilton set the record for strikeouts in a 7-inning game with 21 and also set the mark for a 9-inning game with 25.� The ironic part of the game was Hamilton wasn’t even the winning pitcher as Breathitt won the game 5-4 in 10 innings.

5.� Saint Xavier’s improbable win at opening round of the State Tournament – Logan County RHP Caleb Bruner was one strike away from firing an 8-inning no-hitter that would have handed Saint Xavier a stunning 1-0 first round loss.� Down to their last strike with no one on base, Nate Stemle was hit by a pitch and Austin Clemons followed with a single to left, advancing to second base on the throw to third.� With first base open, Logan County elected to intentionally walk the Tiger’s No.3 hitter Sam Springer to load the bases.� Andrew Hubbs followed with a ground ball to second base that wasn’t fielded cleanly, and Clemons, running hard the entire way, never broke stride in scoring from second base just ahead of the throw for the 2-1 victory.

4.� Prestonsburg advances to State Tournament – It had been since 1948 since Prestonsburg had advanced to the State Tournament, but they did just that with a 3-0 win over Belfry to win the 15^th Region championship.� And Prestonsburg showed they weren’t just happy to be there when they knocked off North Laurel 3-0 in the opening round.� The Blackcats lost in the quarterfinals to eventual runner-up Mercer County, finishing their season with a record of 26-15.

3.� PRP wins State Championship – After losing 3 of their first 9 games of the season, PRP went on a tear in a 38 win season that included two double-digit winning streaks, the second of which included winning their final 18 games of the season that culminated in the Panther’s fifth state title since 1994.� PRP defeated Mercer County in the 3-2 eight-inning thriller that saw winning pitcher Kyle Olliges, now a freshman at Spalding University, strike out 10 in the complete-game effort.

The final two stories are an extension of the high school season, both occurring in June after the season was over.

2.� The emergence of Boyle County RHP Micah Miniard – The 6-foot-7, 200-pound RHP from Boyle County committed to Western Kentucky in the fall of his junior year as a projectable prospect whose ceiling was very high.� My first look at Miniard was last January, and his fastball sat 85-87 with secondary pitches that were still developing.� Fast forward to July at the Area Code Games tryouts in Indianapolis and Miniard’s fastball sat 89-92 with a power low 80’s slider.� His performance earned him an invite to the Area Code Game in California, and he followed that up with a good performance at the Under Armour All-America game at Wrigley Field in August.� The question is how high does he go in the June draft, and does he ever set foot on the WKU campus?

1.� Five Kentucky high school players drafted – The June 2013 MLB draft saw five Kentucky high school players selected in Clinton Hollon, Hunter Green, Tanner Norton, Taylor Blair, and Javon Shelby.� Hollon was the first player selected when the Toronto Blue Jays took him in the 2^nd round with the 47^th overall pick.� Green was selected a few picks later by the Angels in the 2^nd round as well.� Norton went to the Brewers in the 13^th round, Blair to the Padres in round 35, and Shelby to the Brewers in round 37.