Perry County Central routs Hazard 12-1 in county rivalry win

Perry County Central did more than beat Hazard on Tuesday. The Commodores turned a county rivalry game into a statement, rolling to a 12-1 victory that came fast enough to change the tone of the night and wide enough to deepen the split between the two Perry County programs.

Hazard entered the matchup with a pitching staff that had been holding opponents to 3.62 runs per game, but Perry County Central blew past that level early and never let the Bulldogs settle in. The Commodores finished with a .514 on-base percentage, while Hazard was held to .227 in a game that was already out of reach after the first few innings.

J Mullins set the pace in the circle for Perry County Central, working all six innings and allowing one earned run on four hits. The performance continued a run of control from Mullins, who has not given up more than two walks in six straight appearances. With him limiting Hazard’s chances, the Commodores piled on at the plate.

M Shepherd supplied the biggest swing of the night, going 2-for-3 with two home runs, three runs and four RBI. C Moberly added another jolt, finishing 2-for-4 with a home run, a double and three RBI. MaxPreps said that three-RBI outing was a career high for Moberly, giving Perry County Central another middle-of-the-order bat that clearly took over when the game opened up.

Hazard did avoid the shutout. The Bulldogs had four different players collect at least one hit, including Ryleigh Griffith, who went 1-for-3 with a double. Even so, the 12-1 final dropped Hazard to 8-5 and underscored how much different this meeting looked from the last time the teams played, when Perry County Central barely escaped.

The win pushed Perry County Central to 12-8, gave the Commodores their fourth straight victory and marked their eighth win in the last nine games. It also was one of eight blowout wins they have posted this spring by more than five runs, a sign that the lineup is finding separation at the right time.

That run has come with useful context. Perry County Central had already beaten Barbourville 15-0 on April 10, topped Johnson Central 7-3 in the 2A Section 8 semifinals on April 7 and lost 6-1 to Lawrence County in the championship on April 9. After Tuesday’s rivalry rout, the Commodores carried both momentum and bragging rights into Thursday’s trip to Breathitt County. Hazard was scheduled to visit Johnson Central on Wednesday.