MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Buckhannon Post 7 had the momentum early in Thursday’s meeting at Mylan Park, but Morgantown Post 2 (9-1) responded with hard hitters and capitalizing on multiple errors to close the rainy night 11-2.
After a rusty first inning, Morgantown trailed Buckhannon 1-0, but Post 2 tipped the scales in the second with a three-run push and eight more runs through the four remaining innings at bat. Devon Neal was big at the plate once again, going 2-for-3 with three RBI. While lightning cracked through the sky in the background, Neal cracked a two-run homer late in the game to deliver the final dagger to Buckhannon.
Most of Morgantown’s momentum, though, came from a line of pitching changes – four to be exact – and Taylor Whitehair would be the one to pick up the loss for Post 7. Whitehair was on the mound for 4.1 innings, giving up four earned runs and one walk.
Gavin Cottle (1-0) picked up the win for Morgantown, pitching the entire game and only giving up three hits and two earned runs. He walked two and struck out six.
Albeit a quiet night for him, a major highlight of the season thus far has been Morgantown High graduate Caleb Taylor. Taylor went 0-for-3 at the plate Thursday, but accounted for one RBI. This is just his third time with a goose egg at the plate, averaging 1.3 hits per game.
So far at bat through 10 games, Taylor holds a .394 batting average, five doubles, one home run and 10 RBI. He’s on track to meet his spring 2019 numbers, finishing his final high school stanza with a .470 average, 11 doubles, nine home runs and 46 RBI.
“If you keep working it’ll pay off,” Taylor said – a main theme of his philosophy and a picture of his dedication to the game.
“I do stuff about every day. I get up at 8 a.m. to go lift at 9 a.m. (After that) I go home and go back to sleep. I come to Mylan Park about an hour early to get some hitting in for games or practice, and when I go home I hit a little more. I (do that) about four or five times a week,” he said.
Ending his senior year with a .951 fielding percentage – a total of 90 putouts, 27 assists and six errors –Taylor has transferred his talents to Post 2 before he heads to Keyser in August to attend Potomac State College.
Through his eight legion games in the caller spot, Taylor holds a .976 fielding percentage with just one error. He’s 2-for-4 catching runners stealing, has allowed one ball by him and has one interference call against him.
That’s the production you expect out of a Johnny Bench award winner, something Taylor says “means everything” to him.
“It shows that if you put a lot of hard work and dedication into things, it’ll pay off eventually,” Taylor said.
Named after the Cincinnati Reds legend, the Johnny Bench award has been given to the best catcher in NCAA Division I since 2000. This was the first time the award included high school callers, expanding to Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana and West Virginia.
“It was an honor to win it,” Taylor said.
While a leader on the field, he also leads his team off of the diamond. Something he brings from his time as a Mohigan.
According to Post 2 manager Tyler Barnette, Taylor is “a great leader” and “all business.”
“Whenever he’s in the dugout, guys just go toward him,” Barnette said. “That’s just the type of person he is. He’s a good kid, plain and simple. When you have nine guys that want to play (like Taylor does), you’re going to be a good team.
“One thing we take pride in is that the pitchers don’t shake him off. They trust him. So whenever you trust a catcher, it doesn’t matter what he puts down – you’re throwing it,” Barnette said.
“You see too many pitchers wasting time and shaking guys off. That means a lot to a pitching staff, because you know whenever you get in there that (Taylor) is going to give you the best chance to be successful.”
Maintaining that relationship dynamic with a pitcher is one of the keys to being a great catcher, and Taylor does just that. Luckily for him, he’s had some of his pitchers close by for a while.
“Colton (Matthews)– he’s basically my best friend – I grew up and played travel ball with him,” Taylor said, naming off his bullpen. “I met Casey (Smith) last year, but didn’t get to catch him much because he was hurt, but this year he’s been amazing.”
The irony of Taylor’s story is that becoming a catcher happened purely by chance.
“My little league coach asked who was a catcher on the team, and I had just got into baseball and didn’t really know what it meant,” Taylor recounted. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but it paid off.”
Soon, Taylor will be heading off to Keyser where he gravitated to the coaching staff. But for now, he’s focusing on his Legion team and preparing for his soon-to-be home away from home.
“I want to work on things to make myself and my team succeed.”
Post 2’s Devon Neal rounds the bases after hitting a home run against Buckhannon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Aaron Forbes connects on a pitch against Buckhannon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Caleb Taylor on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Gavin Cottle as Buckhannon’s Casey Hamner rounds the base after hitting a home run on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Gavin Cottle delivers a pitch against Buckhanon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Buckhannon’s Wes Rosencrane makes a diving attempt for the ball against Post 2 on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Buckhannon’s Wes Rosencrane makes a diving attempt for the ball against Post 2 on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Buckhannon’s Casey Hamner looks on after Post 2 scores a run on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Ethan Smith gets tagged out by Buckhannon’s Alek Seech on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Buckhannon’s Wes Rosencrane fields the ball against Post 2 on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Quintin Smith runs to first base against Buckhannon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Gavin Cottle delivers a pitch against Buckhanon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Gavin Cottle delivers a pitch against Buckhanon on Thursday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Quintin Smith attempts the tag on Buckhannon’s Logan Bailey on Thursday at Mylan Park.
