NUTTER FORT, W.Va. – After eliminating Fairmont Post 17 in Game 5 of the Area 2 tournament, Morgantown dominated Bridgeport Post 68 in their second-meeting redemption game.
Following Nate Cole tripling in Trey Pancake in the opening half of play, Morgantown responded with hot bats to pick up eight runs.
After hitting Quintin Smith with his second pitch of the game, Tim Via began falling apart on the mound. Smith stole second on a 1-0 count, but Via would walk Colton Matthews in five more pitches. Smith then stole third and home on two wild pitches for the tying run.
Matthews followed in Smith’s footsteps, stealing two bases before finding home while Via picked up his second and third walks of the inning. After a long series of walks, a hit by pitch, fly out and grounder into fielder’s choice, Smith returned to the plate to deliver a two-RBI in the park homer for the eighth run of the inning.
Post 2 held Bridgeport to just one more run in the following four innings while tacking on four more runs — capped by Caleb Taylor crossing home to bring into effect the mercy rule.
The two teams will square off once more today at 1 p.m. to decide the Area 2 champion.
Fairmont at Post 2
Morgantown Post 2, after suffering a gut wrenching loss in the seventh inning of Friday’s game against Bridgeport, had a shot at redeeming themselves on Saturday.
Facing elimination in Game 5 of the Area 2 tournament, Morgantown delivered Fairmont Post 17 a 7-1 loss to knock the No. 3 seed out of the running.
Fairmont picked up the one-run lead in the second, but Morgantown responded with a run of their own to tie it with their half at bat.
After a scoreless third inning, Fairmont was held to just a base on error and single in the top of the fourth. The half closed with Devon Neal and Gavin Cottle connecting for a double play after Neal’s error on a grounder allowed the runner to reach first.
That momentum carried into the bottom of the inning, with Casey Smith tripling in Clay Maholic on a one-out count. Smith then scored on a wild pitch. With two outs on the board, Neal singled hard to right field for a two-RBI play.
Riding a 5-1 lead, Morgantown picked up their second double play of the day to shut down Fairmont in three at bats. Post 2 wouldn’t score again until the bottom of the sixth, but picked up two more runs off of Neal’s triple and Cottle’s single to deliver the final dagger of the game.
Matt Renner was credited with the win on the mound through all seven innings. He had three strikeouts with three walks and six hits against him.
Levi Clemons pitched for 2 2/3 innings and took the loss for Fairmont. He gave up two earned runs and two walks while striking out two.
Morgantown and Bridgeport square off for the second time this weekend at 7 p.m. If Morgantown wins, they will force a championship game Sunday at 1 p.m.
