GRANVILLE — It’s always a good day at the ballpark when you can down a defending state champion. Morgantown High baseball coach Mark McCarty knows that feeling.
Paced by a balanced effort at the plate, the Mohigans ran through four-time Class AA state champion Bridgeport, 5-1, in the opening matchup of the Mon County Baseball Classic from Monongalia County Ballpark.
The win completed a season sweep for MHS against the Indians.
“I thought we played well. We did leave too many runners on base, but the pitching was good, the defense was good, and we swung the bats okay,” McCarty said. “We didn’t get too many timely hits, but anytime you can beat a quality program like that, you have to feel good.”
McCarty was adamant on not letting his squad’s struggles with leaving runners stranded get him down, and he has seen his team’s capabilities at the plate and is comfortable in that knowledge.
“We scored 27 runs last game, so I don’t think we left too many on that game. It’s something that just happens, it’s part of baseball,” he said. “Whenever you hit the ball against a quality program they’re going to make plays. You just have to try and find the gaps.”
The pair of wins over the Harrison County powerhouse this spring is certainly a confidence boost for MHS (15-8), but McCarty was quick to note that he’s not letting it get to neither his nor his player’s egos.
“This is the second time we’ve beaten them this year, but I don’t know. The postseason starts it over, so we’ll see,” he said. “We’ve had about three quality games in a row, so hopefully we can keep that going.”
The Mohigans’ scoring effort was led by Caleb Taylor who sent a massive homer over the left field fence en route to a two-hit, four-RBI performance.
Andrew Kerzak, Jamar Neal, and Preston Fox each added two hits at the plate, while Colton Matthews earned the win on the mound.
University 4, George Washington 3
When George Washington went up, 3-0, after three innings, it would have been easy for University to accept their fate.
According to UHS coach Buck Riggleman, that’s not how his team rolls.
“We’ve got some good quality senior leadership that have been playing varsity baseball since they were freshman. (Pitcher) Cam Stoldt is one of those guys,” he said. “He’s a battler, and a lot of times when he is on the mound we seem to rally around him. I just credit that senior leadership.”
The Hawks rallied with two-run performances in the fourth and sixth while holding GW scoreless through the final four innings to nab a 4-3 victory.
“I was pleased with the team’s performance. GW might have a .500 record, but they’re better than a .500 club,” Riggleman said. “They’re a great team – they’re going to jump up and surprise some people in the playoffs. To be able to battle against them and come out on top is great.”
Riggleman expects the win will help serve as a lesson for his team as they edge towards the post-season tournament — the game is never over, even when you’re behind.
“I think pretty much the lesson is that we can battle through adversity. It shows if we go into sectionals and get down a couple runs, we can come back from it,” he said. “The biggest thing is the ability to realize that yes, we’re down, but we can come back. We’ve done it before.”
Stoldt led the Hawks (16-8) from both the mound and the plate, earning the win pitching while adding two hits and a RBI batting. Fellow seniors Trevor Barnhart and Austin Forbes added a hit and RBI each, while senior Ross Mulhall and sophomore Kaden Metheny tallied one hit each.
“This is a great group of kids. We have six seniors, and they’re all great leadership guys,” Riggleman said. “This is for them.”
Notre Dame 26, Clay-Battelle 0
If you ask Clay-Battelle coach Erik Pride, Friday night was the toughest pill of his coaching career to swallow.
The Cee-Bees, down to just eight players, forfeited the game after two innings against Notre Dame, in the final game of the Mon County Baseball Classic.
“I just feel bad for our lone senior. We’ve had kids hurt, kids quit, and then this – it’s a pretty disgusting night,” said Pride. “It’s the worst night of my coaching career.”
The Cee-Bees entered the game with just nine players on the roster and played one inning down an outfielder after an injury in the first inning.
Pride still managed to find a sliver of joy on the evening, however; being able to bring his squad to play in one of the nicest minor league stadiums in the country.
“These kids never experienced nothing like this in their life. I told them over there, relish the moment,” he said. “I mean, the Black Bears play here. Most kids don’t go on to play college, especially here. This is it. This is probably the highlight of their baseball careers.”
