By ANTHONY STEVENS
LEBANON (June 4, 2026) – What a difference a year makes. In 2025, at the Region 2D finals at John Battle, the host team secured a 10-5 win over the Pioneers. In 2026, an unexpected hero led Lebanon to a 6-0 victory over the Trojans on Thursday at Doc Adams Field to win the regional title.
The Pioneers have played 26 games this season. Junior Cannon Barton has started on the bump for two of them; make that three.
“Cannon has worked his butt off,” Lebanon coach Cody Compton said. “He didn’t miss a day in the fall. He didn’t miss a day when we worked out. If we’re doing something baseball-wise, Can-non is here working. He earned it and deserved it. It couldn’t happen to a better kid.”
Was Barton surprised to get the ball in the title game?
“I was a little, I thought (Isaac) Godsey might start,” Barton said. “Late this week, Coach said you’ve worked hard, so I’m going to let you have it. I was able to come in and do my job.”
“This is great, an awesome atmosphere here. I’m glad Coach Compton believed in me enough to start this game. I only had two strikeouts, but the defense played great behind me. The outfield played great. They were able to track down some balls.”
With one out in the second inning, starter Heath Preisani of John Battle ran into control issues. He walked Barton, Godsey, and Dawson Rasnake, loading the bases. That brought freshman Ethan Horne to the plate. Horne came through with a clutch RBI single.
“I wasn’t trying to do too much,” Horne stated. “I knew we needed some runs on the board to build momentum. I knew that if I could get something going, the rest of my team would pick it up. I just wanted to hit something hard on the ground, and I was able to get it done.”
After a pop-out for the second out of the inning, Brady Cole and Lake Baldwin each followed with two-run hits, putting Lebanon up 5-0.
“That took a lot of pressure off. I was able to go to the mound relaxed,” remarked Barton. “I just needed to throw strikes, and I did. The defense made the plays, and we got out of here with a win.”
Barton cruised through five innings, allowing only one hit. Godsey came to the mound in the sixth and pitched two scoreless innings in relief.
“I told Cannon he was going to win the district championship last week,” Compton declared. “This week, I ask him, are you ready to win the regional championship? I hope I get to ask him one more time.”
The Pioneers added a final run in the sixth. Godsey walked and scored when Horne grounded into a fielder’s choice.
“We had a few good at-bats,” noted Compton. “Cannon was throwing the ball well, and I knew Isaac could come in and shut them down if I needed him to. I told Cannon that if he could get me three or four innings, we’d win this game. He got me five.”
The second inning proved impossible for the Trojans to overcome.
“You can’t focus on one inning as a team,” said John Battle coach Jimmy Gobble. “I was pleased with how we put together our plate approaches, how we battled, and our contact approach. We had some good things going on. Baseball is a game of inches and opportunity. We get to play more baseball, and we’re going to focus on that.”
Preston Rosenbaum came in relief for Battle in the second inning and was solid for the rest of the way on the mound.
“We got to see a sophomore (Rosenbaum) do some great things,” Gobble noted. “He came in and pitched absolutely phenomenal. He had a good two-pitch mix, and it was good to see that. It was fun to watch.”
Patrick County defeated Dan River 10-4 in the Region 2C finals. John Battle (19-6) will travel to Patrick County on Tuesday (6/9/26).
“You don’t change much. We are who we are,” said Gobble. “We like who we are. We’re the type of team that just wants to go play baseball. As long as they’ll let us, we’ll go play.”
Lebanon (18-8) won its 12th straight. They will host Dan River (11-12) on Tuesday as well, with a trip to Salem awaiting the winners.
“We’ve worked so hard for this since day one,” said Horne. “The ones who weren’t playing other sports started in the fall. It’s a yearlong thing, but we got here, and it’s awesome.”
Lebanon 6, John Battle 0
JS Battle000 000 0—0 4 0
Lebanon050 001 X—6 5 0
H. Preisani, Rosenbaum and Price. C. Barton, Godsey (6) and P. Cole. W—C. Barton (6-0). L—H. Preisani. HR—none.
