Big inning boosts Purples over Trojans in region opener

Published 8:15 pm Monday, May 25, 2026

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Bowling Green’s Matt Mosley (9) rounds third during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Barren County’s Cameron Crawford (5) is out at first by Bowling Green’s Landon Gilbert (6) during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Bowling Green’s Matt Mosley (9) is out at first by Barren County’s Gavin Coffey (21) during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Bowling Green’s Jack Cowan (8) pitches during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Bowling Green’s Kip Walden (18) slides to second against Barren County’s Jax Vincent (9) during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

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Barren County’s Skylar Potter (33) pitches during Bowling Green’s 6-2 win over Barren County in the Region 4 Tournament at Western Kentucky University’s Nick Denes Field on Monday. (JACK DOBBS / Daily News)

Bowling Green needed an answer at the plate Monday against Barren County in the Region 4 Baseball Tournament at Nick Denes Field.

Trailing by two runs heading into the top of the fourth inning, the Purples snatched back the momentum with a five-run rally on the way to a 6-2 victory to earn a spot in Tuesday’s regional semifinals against Russell County.

Bowling Green (32-5) got a pair of two-run triples to help put up that crooked number on the scoreboard in the fourth — one from near the bottom of the order, the other at the very top.

“We just try to grind out at-bats and score one an inning — that’s just kind of our offense,” Bowling Green coach Nathan Isenberg said. “And then if we get a big inning, something happens — but grind away, work at the pitcher, try to get in the bullpen.”

After leaving three base runners stranded through the first three innings, the Purples got going in the top of the fourth when Landon Gilbert led off the inning with a double. Matt Mosley moved him to third with a sacrifice bunt, then Colt Isenberg punched an RBI single straight back up the middle to cut the deficit to 2-1.

The trouble was only beginning for Barren County (19-16). Trojans starting pitcher Skylar Potter got a strikeout for the second out of the inning, but Jack Cowan drew a walk and then No. 8 hitter Grayson Rodgers followed by ripping a triple to right-center field to drive in two runs and give the Purples a 3-2 lead.

The Purples weren’t done. Henry Phillips drew a walk to follow Rodgers and turn over the lineup, and leadoff hitter Jame Yarbrough delivered with a two-run triple of his own to right field to push the lead to 5-2.

“It was two outs I think and I saw that we had runners on,” said Yarbrough, the Purples’ senior catcher who finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate. “And I hate to leave those ducks stranded on the pond, and I was trying to do my job up there. I saw a slider and took it that way.”

Barren County, the District 15 tournament champions, put the pressure on early. Purples starting pitcher Jack Cowan had a hiccup in his command after two solid innings, walking the bases loaded in the bottom of the third inning. Gavin Coffey followed with an RBI single, then the Trojans scored again on a wild pitch to grab a 2-0 lead.

Cowan, a senior left-hander who has signed to play at Belmont next season, settled after that shaky third and worked through five innings before exiting in favor of reliever Henry Phillips. Cowan allowed the two runs off two hits and five walks while striking out five.

“He was sick a lot last week, so we didn’t know how that would go,” Nathan Isenberg said of Cowan. “But we know, you know, 80% Jack is pretty darn good. He pitched well.”

Coffey led off the sixth by getting hit with a pitch and moved to second on a groundout, but was stranded there.

The Purples picked up some insurance in the top of the seventh. Landon Gilbert led off with a double. Trojans reliever Colten Wilson nearly escaped the jam by getting a pop-out on a bunt try and then a fly out before issuing back-to-back walks, then letting Gilbert score on a wild pitch.

Barren County mounted one last threat in the seventh when Jax Vincent reached on a two-out error, then stole second base. Phillips shut down that potential rally with a game-ending strikeout.

BGHS 000 500 1 — 6

BCHS 002 000 0 — 2

WP: Cowan. LP: Potter.

Russell County 6, Logan County 3

When the rain stopped falling, Russell County started scoring against Logan County as the Lakers rallied for a 6-3 win to earn a spot in Tuesday’s semifinals against Bowling Green.

Logan County (19-18) grabbed a first-inning lead after loading the bases, then scoring twice on a throwing error.

Playing through a heavy downpour that likely would have halted the game had it not been on WKU’s synthetic playing surface, the Cougars pushed ahead 3-0 in the top of the second after scoring on another error.

Russell County (17-21) perked up as the rain began to taper off, answering with two runs in the bottom of the second with an RBI single from Masen Jasper and Trace Stringer’s sac fly RBI.
Alden Brumley’s RBI single in the bottom of the third knotted the game at 3, then the Lakers drew three straight walks to force in the go-ahead run. Jasper plated another with an infield single and Stringer tallied another sac fly RBI to cap the four-run rally.

The Lakers benefitted from plenty of traffic on the base paths, helped along by Logan issuing five walks and hitting six batters. Jasper and Raylen McAninich had two hits each to pace Russell County.

LCHS 210 000 0 — 3

RCHS 024 000 x — 6

WP: Melton. LP: Thomeczek.

About Jeff Nations

Sports Editor, Bowling Green Daily News

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