Fresh off state title, Lumberjacks ready for Senior Babe Ruth regional

Their improbable run in the Missouri state tournament may have come as a surprise to some, but the Wayne County Lumberjacks are confident it wasn't a fluke and aren't ready to let it end.

They'll compete in their first ever Midwest Plains Regional on Friday in Lyons, Kansas, where they'll enter play as the fresh face of the tournament with hopes of advancing to the Senior Babe Ruth World Series.

"We were just hoping to give our kids an opportunity to go compete against the best competition. Never really crossed our mind, you know, winning state and moving on," Null said. "I've had some good teams in the past with the Poplar Bluff Thunder where we were able to make it to the finals at state but got beat by Charleston. This year we did know that they were taking two teams, so we had a goal in mind right before the tournament to try to finish in those top two spots and make it to regionals any way we could.

"Now that we're here we feel like the momentum is in our favor. Not a lot can stop us right now."

Wayne County prevented Charleston from winning its eighth state title in nine years last Saturday to secure a spot in the eight-team tournament. A three-run sixth inning helped Wayne County down the Squirrels 6-3 to secure the state championship in the program's first year of existence.

"We hadn't done that all year. We had a couple games where we were down a few but haven't come back to that degree," Null said. "And I guess they really haven't quit all summer. It's just the moment and the ability to come back and finish those games off not just tie them."

Despite their loss, the Squirrels will return as defending champions, thanks to them securing a spot in the state finals and another state forgoing its spot in the regional tournament prior to the start of state tournaments across the Midwest.

Charleston and Wayne County will be separated in pool play with the Lumberjacks competing in the American pool and Charleston in the National pool.

Each four-team pool will compete against each other Friday through Sunday with the top two teams from each pool advancing to Monday's bracket play. Bracket play will consist of two rounds before the championship, which takes place at 5:30 p.m. Monday.

Wayne County will begin pool play with a nightcap against host Lyons at 8 p.m. Friday in the American pool, which Null said can be used to his team's advantage.

"That'll allow us to scout and check out all the other teams, and kind of judge and adjust our game plan from there," he said.

Null added that Wayne County's ace, Blakeney Kearbey, will pitch in Game 1. Kearbey, who will be a senior at Greenville High School in August, threw six complete innings to earn the victory over Charleston in the state championship and said he's preparing like he would for any other game.

"I kind of just go in there with the same attitude I did in the state tournament, you know, just go in there and compete," Kearbey said. "I know what I'm capable of. I know what my team is capable of, and I think we all know that we're capable of winning the World Series just as long as we stay focused."

The Lumberjacks face Oskaloosa in their second game at 12:30 p.m. Saturday before concluding pool play against Hopkins at 12:30 p.m. Sunday.

Teams have traditionally had to go 2-1 in pool play to advance to the next round. Null said he would prefer the Lumberjacks win their first two games in an effort to save some arms for the later rounds.

"First off win that first game, you know, no matter what, we want to win that first game. And then pretty much all we've got to do is win one more to get out of pool play," Null said. "We'd like to try to get out of pool play without throwing Trey McDaniels if we can, and we'll use somebody or a couple of guys to get through that second game."

Null isn't set on a starting pitcher for Game 2 yet but said Bryce Alcorn and a bevy of other pitchers will get a shot to help the Lumberjacks to a 2-0 start.

McDaniels isn't concerned about when he pitches but said he'll be ready when called upon.

"I'll be ready," a laid-back McDaniels said. "I've been prepping for this tournament ever since we won state. I've been throwing a couple bullpens, whenever I can, so I'll be ready when he calls on me."

Offensively, Null wants his players to keep the same mindset, which saw them score runs at opportune times, although he could go without the late-inning drama.

"If we score them early and often there should be no problems all the way through," he said. "Obviously you like to win no matter what, but we're playing against the best of the best here, so counting on a bunch of runs in the last two innings or whatever may not cut it. We want to hit and consistently hit throughout this thing."

Null is set on keeping the Lumberjacks' lineup relatively similar throughout the tournament with a few tweaks here and there if needed, and he's hoping for an all-Missouri final against Charleston and coach Michael Minner, who Null said has been a big help to him this week.

"I've been calling him about five times a day just to try and pick his brain on things. We've become good friends," Null said with a laugh. "We're rooting for each other at the same time, hoping we can meet up with each other in a big game again. I know he definitely wants to get back at us, and we'd be up for another good one with them."