This week, we have ECHS Track results, Baseball news, Softball updates, and two students are in the Senior Spotlight - Danny Pate and Rebecca Massey...you need to hear this, so listen now!

Be sure to follow @wildcatslive, @WynCaudill, and @JOscarJr on Twitter!

Darren Doyle, story and photos
Edmonson County capitalized on a shaky second Butler County inning that included six Wildcat walks, a balk, and an error that led to three runs walked in. Other than Walker Hazel, who went 2-2 with a sac bunt and a walk, and starting pitcher Dylan Waldrop, who went to 2-3 with four big RBI's, it was a relatively quiet night offensively for the Wildcats.

"We played to our strengths tonight," said Head Coach Bo West. "We can tell when we have a pitcher on the ropes and we'll make him throw strikes. We took advantage of that in the second inning."

Waldrop pitched 5 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and seven walks. He allowed one run in the first but got even with the Bears when he smacked a two-run double later in the inning to gain a 2-1 lead. He gave up a leadoff triple in the third, but was able to maintain his composure and get the next three outs on a 6-3 putout and two flyouts, giving up only one more run.

He ran into some trouble in the 6th as he gave up a single, although he picked off the runner at first, but an error and two straight walks loaded the bases as he was lifted for Walker Hazel.

West said he felt like Waldrop didn't have his best stuff but he fought through and held the lead for his team. "He's a mentally tough kid and he found a way to battle through that tonight. Honestly, his fastball was really the only thing working tonight and he has four pitches. But that happens sometimes, and he still gave us 5 and 2/3, it was huge for us."

Waldrop agreed that his pitches weren't as good as he would have wanted. "They weren't working all that well," he said. "I didn't have the best control, but it wasn't the worst. I just tried to put it across the plate and let my guys do their work."

West commented on the fastball, but Waldrop wasn't too happy with that, either. "I just didn't have much going for me tonight, but I just tried to battle. I just try to do what Coach Bo wants me to do, do my part from a team principle."

Hazel took the mound in the top of the 6th in a bases loaded jam and gave up a two-run single on the first pitch, but he was able to get the next batter to foul out. He pitched a perfect seventh to earn the save as the Wildcats went on to win 9-4.

"A district win is always good, especially against a rival," West said. "We got one against Grayson last week and we'll head down the road tomorrow night for another (against Butler County in Morgantown)." West said they will be facing a much tougher pitcher on Tuesday night against the Bears. 

"I just tell our guys, as long as we take care of us, we'll give ourselves a chance. We don't worry about distractions, this or that...We'll worry about taking care of our business and see what happens."

Other Wildcats helping at the plate were Shawn Winchester who went 1-4 and Logan Lindsey who went 1-2 with an RBI and two walks. 

The Wildcats are now 12-8 on the season and are 2-1 in District 12 play. First pitch against Butler County is scheduled for 5:30PM.

We have the latest from ECHS Softball, Baseball, and Track this week, and we place two Seniors (Kayla Whittington and Matthew Jaggers) in the Senior Spotlight...click that play button!

Darren Doyle, story and photo
ECHS Principal Tommy Hodges announced Haley Garmon today as the new head volleyball coach for the Lady Cats for the 2016 season.

Coach Garmon served as an assistant and freshmen coach this past season and received a huge round of applause from the team at the announcement today at the school. The players were unaware of Coach Garmon's new role until today.

​Last year's coach Brad Sullivan resigned earlier this year upon completion of the 2015 season. He was head coach for one season.

Although this year's team fell in the district finals, it was still very positive with a 25-11 finish, but next year's team will be without seven seniors.

"I like what we have to work with," said Coach Garmon. "Obviously, we lost several seniors this year, but we've also got some talented girls coming back."

When asked about upcoming goals for next season, the first thing she said was "There hasn't really been a lot of structure in the past. This team will be more disciplined. We're going to be a high-intensity team, and we're going to be in shape."

Garmon is a 2006 graduate of ECHS and played volleyball all four years. Her husband, Jeremy Garmon, is the Lady Cat Head Softball Coach.

"Last year we didn't know how to finish," she said. "We were a solid team and did some great things, but we just couldn't seem to finish when we needed to. We'll finish next season."

Garmon has already begun putting things together, scheduling practices and conditioning, looking into team camps, and discussing various scenarios with WKU Head Coach Travis Hudson, another ECHS alumni. 

She's already coordinated with the volleyball booster club about beginning fundraising immediately.  

"I love these kids and I love volleyball," she said with a big smile. "I'm excited and we want everyone to expect big things." 

Darren Doyle, story and photos
A fitting tribute was given to long time Coach Charles Alexander today at the Highway 70 Sports Complex in Brownsville as the 2016 Little League Baseball and Softball programs kicked off their season.

Alexander, who coached and influenced the lives of Edmonson County youth for over 40 years, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his grandson, Wil Alexander. 

Coach Alexander's resume includes:

• Played at Brownsville High 1956-59
• Northwestern State University, Campbellsville College 1960-63
• Sunfish High School (coach) 1964-66
• ECHS 1967-69
• Sunfish 1970-75
• Brownsville 1975-80
• Kyrock 1981-83
• ECMS 1983-86
• ECHS 1986-1988

There are around 30 teams in this year's program, all of which will be playing today as games started this morning at 9am and will continue into this evening. 

We're back from break! This week, we shine the Senior Spotlight on Maddie Stice and hear all about the upcoming ECHS Prom and After-Prom...where else could you find all this great stuff? Listen now!

Be sure to follow @wildcatslive, @WynCaudill, and @JOscarJr on Twitter!

Darren Doyle, story and photos
The Lady Cats fell 5-2 to Hancock County Tuesday night in the All A Regional Tournament, hosted by Edmonson County at James Woodcock Field in Brownsville.

In a very equally matched contest, the difference simply came down to a couple of big at-bats by the Lady Hornets that allowed them to take control of the game.

The Lady Cats got off to a solid start with a 2-0 lead in the second inning, but one swing of the bat from the Lady Hornets with two on in the 4th netted a couple of runs for Hancock and the game was tied 2-2.

The 5th inning was unkind to the Lady Cats as a couple of Edmonson County errors put the Lady Hornets in scoring position and Hancock took the lead with one-run double with no outs. 

Leading 3-2, Hancock sac bunted as the Lady Cats got the out at first base, but an errant throw to home got away from catcher Rebecca Massey and two more runs scored to make things 5-2, which would be the final score.

"We're not going to make excuses or blame this or that," said coach Jeremy Garmon. "There was a very tight strike zone tonight and (pitcher) Rachael (Duncan) had to throw some right down the middle, and she gave up some hits. The strike zone was pretty much the same for both teams, though, I'll say that."

Alex Whitfill started the Lady Cats off in the 7th with a walk but after a fly out, Whitfill was doubled up on her way to second as Hancock caught a hard line drive and threw back to first to end the game.

Rachael Duncan threw 6 innings, and gave up 3 earned runs on 5 hits and one walk while striking out 5. The Lady Cats were led offensively by first baseman Megan Dockery as she went 2-3 with a single and a double. 

Whitfill was 1-2 with a walk and Kayla Whittington was 1-3. Coach Garmon said the next two weeks could determine an entire season.

"We've got 11 games in the next 8 days, and these are good teams," he said. "It's going to be very tough and we're going to find out what our team is made of, but I've said this all year, I love this squad. We've got some things to work on, and we'll keep working hard."