After winning the last 11 First Region titles and making it to the state semifinals last season, the McCracken County’s baseball squad has been preparing all offseason in hopes of repeating their upcoming year. With a solid group of returners and guys eager to fill those empty holes, this team is primed for another successful year.
“We’re ready to get to work,” head coach Zach Hobbs said about the upcoming season. “You put in all the work in the fall and in the winter in January. January seems like it’s 780 days getting ready for baseball season, and now here we are. We’re right around the corner ready to get going, get back to work, and get on that field. The preparation from our guys this fall and winter has been outstanding. I think we’re in a good place, and I’m excited about getting to watch these guys play.”
McCracken is returning three of there most used pitchers from last season, all ready to make strong impacts during their senior season. Caden kern, Joshua Penrod, and Will Fox are all pitchers who have committed to play at the college level, and are focused on contributing to the Mustangs for one last season.
On the offensive side, Kendrick Dunning headlines the cast of returners. Last season, Dunning was among the state’s best in hits, RBI, and home runs. He lead the Mustangs in just about every hitting category, and will without a doubt bring that impact and experience to this year’s squad.
“We’ve got the cast from last year, Kendrick Dunning, Caden Kern on the mound, Josh Penrod on the mound, Will Fox on the mound,” Hobbs said. “Last year, Gagnon ended up being one of our best hitters down the stretch. Lane Grace is steady every day. I think we’re gonna have some guys that step up. We’ve got a lot of guys back.”
McCracken will start their 2026 campaign at home, where they face Christian County on Tuesday at 6 p.m. After the opener, they kickstart their run against premier out of state teams, facing a mix of Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee teams all in the next week.
“You just want to play the best competition you can,” Coach Hobbs said. “We play our region games, and there’s great teams in our region, but to play some out of state teams where nobody’s holding anything back, everybody’s throwing their best every day. We go play these teams with power five D-I commits, JUCO guys, and even draft guys. We just try to test ourselves and not worry about the outcome of those games.”
The pieces are in place for McCracken County to make another run in the region they have controlled ever since they became a school. By season’s end, their experienced roster will be battle-tested and prepared for the postseason, with their regular season journey beginning on Tuesday.