05/26/2026
Todayโs Semifinal Games have been postponed until tomorrow. Same time at Green County.
Taylor County moved on the way postseason teams are supposed to move on: by taking a punch, answering immediately, and letting senior arms do their job.
The Cardinals defeated Bethlehem 6-3 last night, advancing to the 5th Region semifinals after a game that had early fireworks, middle-inning tension, and a fifth-inning response that felt like the difference between surviving and controlling the moment.
Cole McLean opened the scoring in the first with a two-run missile, another reminder that the game has its own way of keeping receipts. Bethlehem answered in the top half of the second, punching a single through the right side to cut the lead to 2-1.
Isaac Burress got that run right back in the bottom half. Helping his own cause on the mound, Burress led off with a ball that came off the bat with county-line intentions. Loud, immediate and very clearly not interested in staying local.
From there, the game settled in.
Until the fifth.
Bethlehem loaded the bases with two walks and a hit batter, then tied it when a hard ground ball toward the 6-hole led to a throw that got away at first. Two runs scored, and suddenly it was 3-3.
Taylor Countyโs answer was immediate.
Grayson Kearney singled to start the bottom half. Carson Mills moved him over. McLean was issued a free pass. Reave Vaughn lined a ball into right to advance the runners. Then J.T. Johns delivered the swing of the night, punching one through the right side to score Kearney and McLean and put the Cardinals back in front.
Silas Young followed with a fly ball to left that was dropped, allowing Johns to score and stretching the lead to 6-3.
That was the game.
Kearney led the offense with two hits. McLean and Burress provided the loudest swings. Johns delivered the biggest one.
On the mound, the seniors handled the rest. Burress gave Taylor County four strong innings, striking out four. Johns took over from there and shut down the final three frames, striking out three and closing the door.
Taylor County advances.
Next up: Elizabethtown.
SEMI FINALS
Taylor County vs. Elizabethtown
May 26
Aprroximately 9PM