MORGANTOWN — Morgantown baseball coach Mark McCarty is known for his stoic and old-school approach to the game, but after Thursday’s 5-4 walk-off win over Class AA No. 1 Bridgeport, he wasn’t really sure how to feel.
“I’m not even exactly sure what happened, I don’t even know what inning it is or if we won or they lost,” he said, laughing. “But anytime we can beat them, we feel good. I probably couldn’t tell you a single thing that happened, but maybe if you ask me tomorrow, I could tell you.”
What happened was a Mohigans comeback in the seventh and eighth innings before finally putting away the Indians on a wild pitch in the ninth to score Quintin Smith to give MHS (23-5) the win.
Not only did it give the Mohigans their 23rd win of the year in the regular-season finale, it snapped a three-game losing streak after they won 17 in a row.
Trailing most of the game, MHS tied it in the seventh inning on a single by Caleb Taylor, scoring Preston Fox. After Bridgeport took the lead again in the eighth, Gavin Cottle drove in Zachary Brennan as he smacked a line drive to leftfield.
Cottle, Neal, Smith, Taylor and Colton Matthews were honored before the game during a Senior Night ceremony, and all had big moments offensively and on the mound.
Matthews started the game, going four innings and allowing two earned runs. He was replaced by Taylor, who allowed just one run over the next four innings.
“This group of seniors has worked hard to get to this point and it shows,” McCarty said. “This is a good group that we will miss.”
Charlie Petty came in to pitch the ninth inning and didn’t allow Bridgeport to score, earning himself the win over the walkoff. Petty has gained the trust of McCarty as the team’s closer, and he regrets not using him last Saturday in the OVAC title loss to Steubenville.
“Charlie’s pitched well pretty much every time he’s come in,” McCarty said. “He definitely beared down tonight for a sophomore especially.”
