LEXINGTON, Ky. – Sawyer Carlisle will go the Massachusetts Institute of Technology next year and study electrical engineering
Friday night, the Beechwood senior engineered an outstanding game with an electric performance on the state stage at Lexington Legends Field.
Carlisle got more base hits at the plate than he allowed on the mound, leading the Tigers to a 6-2 over West Jessamine in the first round of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association state baseball tournament June 5.
Beechwood (33-9) advances to the quarterfinals against top-ranked Trinity (38-3) 8:30 p.m. June 6 at Legends Field. West Jessamine, the 12th Region champion coached by former Cincinnati Reds outfielder Austin Kearns, finishes 20-20.
Beechwood reached the Elite Eight for the first time since 2022.
Carlisle allowed three hits and struck out 12. He allowed two runs in the seventh inning after two walks and a single, which were his only two walks of the game. He threw 111 pitches.
The future engineer is now 7-1 on the season.
“I like being creative. I think a little bit technically,” Carlisle said. “I want to make sure that I’m executing everything well. That goes for designing something small, but also pitching a corner and making sure I’m executing there.”
Carlisle also pitched in the Ninth Region final over Ryle, and head coach Kevin Gray knew he would do well.
“All night long, I thought if we get two or three runs the way he was throwing, I thought that was enough,” he said. “Sawyer was phenomenal. He was dynamite again, and he’s just had a fantastic senior season.”
He went 4-for-4 at the plate, raising his .426 season average.
“It’s important for me in these games when I’m pitching to also make sure I’m staying consistent on the hitting side,” he said. “I hit for an hour today before the game. I’m in the three spot so I need to be productive.”
Bobby Meier was his courtesy runner and scored three runs.
“It’s great knowing all I have to do is get to first base, and that guy’s going come out there and run all around for me. And he did,” Carlisle said.
The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth. Carlisle singled to lead off. His courtesy runner, Meier, went to third on an error on a pickoff throw to first. Caleb Arrasmith walked, Zach True and Jackson Mando followed with RBI base hits.
After another error, Beechwood had runners on second and third with one out. Luke Brauch tried a squeeze bunt but popped it up to the catcher, who threw to third to get True, who was almost at home plate.
In the third, Beechwood got a leadoff single from Brauch. Giles got the next three batters to ground out to shortstop, including Tyler Fryman and Hudson Edwards.
Through three, Carlisle retired the first nine, five by strikeout, with 36 pitches. Tyler Giles, who was 6-1 with a 2.59 ERA coming in, allowed two hits through three and struck out three.
After Beechwood gave Carlisle a 2-0 lead, he struck out two more in the bottom of the fourth, giving him seven through four innings.
“Their (one through four hitters) are some of the best,” Carlisle said. “So I was working offspeed early and kind of pitching backwards.”
In the bottom of the fifth, Braxton Frankenburger broke up Carlisle’s no-hitter with a single down the left-field line. Carlisle struck out the next three batters and left Frankenburger’s courtesy runner at second.
In the sixth, Carlisle helped give him and the team a third run. He led off with a single, his third hit of the game. Meier took over for him on the basepaths and stole second base. Brooks Becker moved him to third with a ground out.
Arrasmith hit a ground ball to first base. The fielder had trouble getting the ball out of his glove and Meier barely beat the throw home for his second run of the game.
After a pitching change for WJ, Jacob Cissell, True singled for his second hit of the game, but Cissell struck out the next batter.
Kellen Dziki led off the sixth with a single for the Colts, the second hit off Carlisle. He retired the next three batter, including his 11th strikeout.
In the seventh, Maddux Hatton pinch-hit and singled. Junior Louisville commit Fryman followed with his first hit of the night, a drive to the wall in right center. Fryman was crossing the plate by the time the relay throw went offline to the catcher for an inside-the-parker. Fryman was credited with his 12th round-tripper of the season, his 62nd run scored and his 52nd RBI.
“I’m running as hard as I can until Coach Gray tells me to stop,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he did tell me to stop, but I couldn’t stop. I was already going.”
Carlisle punctuated his offensive night with his fourth hit of the game, another single. Meier replaced him at first, and Brooks Becker drove him in with a long single to make it 6-0.
Up next is Trinity, which is nationally ranked this year with several Division I commits, especially on the pitching staff. Newly crowned Mr. Baseball, Grayson Willoughby, pitched in the first round.
Gray said Arrasmith (9-2, 1.96) will start for the Tigers. He expects junior Grayson Davis (6-1, 1.58) to throw for the Shamrocks.
“Our coaches were here scouting today,” he said. “We’ll have a scouting report and try to give our kids the best chance to beat them. They have a great coach and a great program. It’s an honor to battle them. We’re looking forward to it.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Beechwood senior outhits, outpitches West Jessamine in win at state
Reporting by James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer | USA TODAY Network
