MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown High School baseball team may not speak about its last contest of 2021, but most of the members of the 2022 squad certainly remember.
MHS dropped a tough 4-3 decision to Bridgeport in the Class AAA regional series and that sent the Indians on their way to a seventh-straight state title.
“All off-season we were using that loss to Bridgeport as motivation,” senior pitcher Reed Bailey said. “That has been part of our mindset, we don’t really talk about it, it’s just lurking, though.”
The Mohigans (21-6 last season) won their fourth-straight sectional last season but then fell to the eventual state champions in head coach Pat Sherald’s third season at the school. While the goal for every team in the state is a trip to Charleston for the state finals, Sherald said he wants his team focused on the little things.
“We talk about playing the fundamentals of the game and the results will take care of themselves,” Sherald said. “Our vision is to help each player become the best student-athlete they can be. We work these kids hard, and we focus on playing fundamental baseball.”
That fundamental baseball helped the Mohigans advance to the championship game of the Ohio Valley Athletic Conference (OVAC) tournament. Sherald’s baseball philosophy also helped his team dominate on the mound with a 2.56 team ERA.
Most of that pitching staff returns as Sherald said his team returns roughly two-thirds of its innings pitched from last season including six pitchers who worked nine or more innings.
“I feel like we have a deep bench as far as pitchers we can run out there and throw,” Sherald said. “We may be pitching by committee during some of these games.”
Bailey, who has committed to play at Ithaca College next year, is the top returning pitcher. He threw 40.2 innings last season with a 1.21 ERA and struck out 36 batters with just 14 walks.
“Reed will get the ball to start the season for us,” Sherald said. “He has established himself. He certainly competes and certainly has a great mindset. Having a conversation with him is like having a conversation with a college pitcher. He commands the strike zone like a college pitcher.”
Joining Bailey on the mound are juniors Caleb Cottle, Greg Eddy, and Ryan Fluharty while Sheridan said he also expects to get innings from Jeffrey Poach, Aiden Frombach, Domenic Colasante and Maddox Bowers.
While that pitching staff could be the envy of most teams in the state, Sheridan said he is hoping that a year of experience will help his offense.
“Offensively, we are a year older, and I like that experience,” Sheridan said.
Senior Jacob Kennell led MHS with a .422 average last season and Fluharty, who has committed to South Carolina-Upstate, hit .387. The big addition for the Mohigans will likely be junior Aaron Jamison, a WVU commit, who only played 12 games last season. He hit .364 from his center field position and led the team with four home runs in a shortened year.
“Jamison is back and he’s healthy right now,” Sheridan said. “Just a really athletic type of kid, can hit for power, he’s a left-handed hitter than can run and he has such a great attitude.”
The outfield is likely set with Jamison, Kennell, sophomore Caleb Nutter and Riley Anderson. The infield has a few changes this season with Luke Whanger set to play at third base, Fluharty at shortstop and freshman Weston Mazey set to play second base. Sheridan said that first base could see a rotation of Colasante, Bailey and Thomas Yanchak. Cottle and Nutter will handle the catching duties until Tyler Galusky returns from an injury later this season.
With all this talent, Sheridan may not want his team to look too far ahead but Bailey admits this team does have lofty goals.
“Morgantown has never won a state title in baseball,” Bailey said. “I would love nothing more than to go out as a winner in Charleston.”
Morgantown begins its road to Charleston Tuesday when it hosts Parkersburg South at 5:30 p.m.
By ERIC HERTER
TWEET @dompostsports
