Old scorebooks, part 5: Harrison County’s breakthrough state title
PrintWhen Harrison County and Pleasure Ridge Park met in the 1993 baseball finals, both programs were looking for their first state championship after twice being bridesmaids.
Harrison County was runner-up in 1984 and 1987; PRP was runner-up in 1982 and 1985.
The 1993 championship game would mark the beginning of state domination by the two schools. They would combine to win the next 6 state titles — Harrison County in 1993, 1997 and 1998; PRP in 1994, 1995 and 1996.
(PRP added titles in 2008 and 2013. Harrison County captured another championship in 2010. All that success has helped make their coaches the winningest in state history. PRP’s Bill Miller is first with 1,092 victories; Harrison County’s Mac Whitaker is second with 1,064.)
Harrison County’s breakthrough win in ’93 was remarkable in that it finished its championship run with 32 consecutive shutout innings and 68 consecutive errorless innings.
Thorobreds’ second baseman Brent Hampton explained the team’s flawless fielding after the win over PRP: “Catches on, just like a disease. One person gets it, everybody gets it.”
After Montgomery County scored against Harrison County in the third inning in the 10th Region final, nobody crossed the plate against the Thorobreds again. They beat Madison Central 9-0 and Dixie Heights 6-0 in the sectional, Warren Central 6-0 in the state semifinals, and PRP 6-0 in the title game.
Brian Brooks blanked the Panthers with a three-hitter in the finals. Darryl Cole led the Harrison County offense with a three-run double in the third inning. PRP made 5 errors.
The scorebook from that June 12, 1993, championship game at Kentucky Wesleyan College in Owensboro:
ABOUT MIKE FIELDS
After working as a sports writer for 41 years, I needed a break from the daily demands and deadlines of the newspaper business. So last June I retired from the Lexington Herald-Leader after covering approximately 4,000 high school sports events in my career. Now, eight months later, I’m rested and ready for a part-time return to the game. To reintroduce myself: I was born in Pikeville, grew up in Bardstown, graduated from the University of Kentucky, worked at newspapers in Eustis, Fla., Lake City, Fla., Henderson, Ky., and Evansville, Ind., before coming to Lexington in 1980. Email me at mfields@khsaa.org
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