By Cody Tomer, For The Dominion Post
WHEELING — Just one day after playing for a state title, seven players from Wheeling Park took the field once again.
The Patriots put it all on the line during Saturday’s state championship game, but fell short. The effects of the long weekend of intense baseball seemed to catch up to the three-time defending legion state champions, as Morgantown Post 2 handed Wheeling Post 1 a 10-2 defeat on opening day, at the J.B. Chambers I-470 Complex on Sunday.
Morgantown’s Quinton Smith homered and tripled and drove in three runs and Caleb Taylor pitched five shutout innings and allowed just four hits and struck out five to earn the win.
Colton Matthews also added three hits for Morgantown and drove in a run.
It was also the first game as manager for Post 1’s Jon-Michael Brunner, who takes over this season for Mark Delbrugge.
“I would have liked to have had a little bit of a different outcome on opening day,” Brunner said. “But these guys are a little bit tired and it showed. That limited our arms a little bit but I thought the guys we put out there were good. They competed and did the best they could and that’s all we can ask for.
“We brought up a couple of JV guys and they did a great job. I just think fatigue was a big part of that.”
A total of 11 players who suited up from Wheeling Park and Wheeling Central in state championship games Saturday are included on the Post 1 roster, with Logan Wells being the lone Maroon Knight.
Despite the fatigue and several players unable to attend the opener, Post 1 looks to have the talent to compete for a fourth consecutive state title.
“It’s awesome, because we coach all of these kids who go down to state and to see that they take what we teach them here in the summer and continue that into high school is awesome,” Brunner said. “Once we get everybody back, rejuvenated and start mingling a bit, I think this team has unbelievable talent and really good pitching.
“We have a lot of kids who come to work and really enjoy playing when they aren’t so tired.”
The weariness showed early as Post 1 suffered an error in each of the first two innings and Morgantown took full advantage.
Post 2 struck for a run in the first and the second frames on a RBI single from Taylor and a Smith’s RBI triple.
Morgantown expanded its 2-0 edge with a four-run fourth, as it batted around, receiving a two-run knock from Clay Maholic, a RBI single off the bat of Andrew Berry, along with a run scored by Matthews on a wild pitch.
Smith’s afternoon got even better in the fifth as he belted a two-run home run over the left field fence, sparking a three run stanza.
A two-run double by Matthews gave Post 2 an insurance run in the sixth.
“That’s a tough turnaround for Post 1,” Morgantown coach Tyler Barnette said. “They just played 24 hours ago and had to pull out all of the stops to try to win a state tournament. It’s a tough situation to put those guys in but I know they wouldn’t have it any other way, playing for a high school state championship.
“We had a week of practice and our guys came out here refreshed, ready and they took care of business. We did what we needed to do and played an error-free game up until the last inning. I am happy and very proud of these guys.”
The Post 1 bats showed life in the home half of the sixth as Isaac Rine laced a triple to deep left, followed by a RBI double off the bat of Wheeling Park’s Ross Salvatori.
Ben Taylor, a member of the all-tournament team from this weekend, blistered a line drive towards third to bring home Trevor Thomas for Wheeling’s second and final run of the contest.
Brunner’s squad could not seem to solve the equation that was Caleb Taylor. The right-hander spun five scoreless innings, striking out five and allowing no wal ks to collect the victory.
“Taylor was great,” Barnette said. “Everything was working for him (Sunday). He was feeling good. We have all the confidence in the world in all of the guys we throw out there on the mound and Taylor did a great job.”
Morgantown will host Moundsville, at 7 p.m. Wednesday for its home opener, at Mylan Park.
MORGANTOWN POST 2 (1-0)
Matthews 4 3 3 1, Q. Smith 5 2 2 3, Berry 4 2 2 1, Taylor 5 0 2 1, Stoldt 3 1 0 0, E. Smith 2 0 0 1, Maholic 5 0 2 2, Nelson 3 0 0 0, Watts 2 2 0 0. Totals 33 10 11 9.
WHEELING POST 1 (0-1)
Rine 4 1 2 0, R. Salvatori 4 0 2 1, Thomas 3 1 2 0, Taylor 3 0 1 1, Murray 3 0 0 0, Jones 3 0 0 0, Hummel 3 0 1 0, Bauer 3 0 0 0, J. Salvatori 3 0 0 0. Totals 29 2 8 2.
Morgantown 110 431 0—10
Wheeling 000 002 0—2
HR—Q. Smith. 3B—Q. Smith, Rine. 2B—Matthews, R. Salvatori, Rine.
Morgantown: Taylor (W) 5 ip, 4 h, 0 r, 0 er, 0 bb, 5 so; Smith 1 ip, 3 h, 2 r, 2 er, 0 bb, 0 so; Cottle 1 ip, 1 h, 0 r, 0 er, 0 bb, 0 so. Wheeling: Hummel (L) 3 ip, 6 h, 4 r, 3 er, 1 bb, 3 so; Gorence 1 ip, 4 h, 5 r, 5 er, 4 bb, 0 so; Hickman 3 ip, 1 h, 1 r, 1 er, 0 bb, 0 so.
