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Sep 16, 2023

West Henderson baseball reaches first state championship since 1992

West Henderson baseball's Lukas Kachilo bunted on the first pitch of his

West Henderson baseball's Lukas Kachilo bunted on the first pitch of his bases-loaded at-bat vs. Oak Grove's Cole Waters in the bottom of the fifth inning Friday.

His team was leading by five runs.

Kachilo fouled off the bunt attempt behind the plate, then swung at the next pitch and fouled it again. The barrel of his bat didn't miss Waters’ third pitch. He crushed it to the right-center field gap, scoring two more runs.

His double was a crushing blow that gave No. 3 West Henderson the commanding lead it never relinquished in a 14-4 five-inning victory over No. 13 Oak Grove in Game 3 of the NCHSAA 3A West Regional Final on Friday. The win sends West Henderson to the state championship series, its first appearance since 1992. The Falcons (25-5) will face No. 1 J.H. Rose in Game 1 of the three-game series beginning Friday.

Oak Grove finishes the season 19-11.

"Everything became reality," catcher Alex Anderson said. "I knew we’d been working for this ever since my freshman year of high school. And from that, all we can do now is grow and keep winning.

"I’m just so excited to see where this team takes us."

WIN OR GO HOME:How missed opportunities forced Roberson baseball to the brink in bid for state finals berth

MAKING HISTORY:How short-handed West Henderson girls soccer advanced to its first NCHSAA regional

'TONIGHT WAS A HICCUP':How West Henderson baseball fell to Oak Grove in Game 1 of regionals

Coach Jackie Corn said he was feeling all different types of emotions when Truitt Manuel earned the bases-loaded walk to cue the mercy rule.

"We’ve had two tight ball games this week," Corn said. "I know sooner or later these hard-hit balls were going to start falling because I felt we’ve been putting good swings on the ball. We kept the pressure on. Just so proud of our guys."

Those hard hits found real estate in the outfield in Game 3. West Henderson scored three runs in the first and second innings, added a run in the third and two in the fourth before hanging five in the fifth.

"They battled at the plate that was the biggest thing," Corn said. "They kept competing. I felt like our approach was good. We were looking for the gaps, not trying to do too much with the baseball. We got back to how we’ve been having our success."

"We can't be satisfied," Corn added. "We got to keep working hard. We can't have these lulls we’ve had the past couple games."