MORGANTOWN — The Trinity Christian baseball team saw its season come to an end Thursday night in the Class A Region 2 Section 1 tournament, falling to Tygarts Valley 8-5 at Mylan Park.
TCS freshman Parker Hopkins went 3 for 4 from the plate with two RBI to pace the Warriors (13-12).
Ian Harris got the start for TV and went the distance, giving up five runs on seven hits. He walked three batters and earned five strikeouts on the evening.
Each team had moments of response after allowing multiple runs to the other. For the Warriors, it was to keep themselves in the game after falling behind 2-0, then 5-3 in separate moments of the game. The difference came in the top of the sixth inning for the visitors as three runs came on three straight plate appearances.
A hit-by-pitch and two singles gave TV a 8-5 lead that wouldn’t change, advancing to face South Harrison Friday and ending the season for TCS.
“The game came down to pitching and execution tonight,” TCS coach Wes Hopkins said after the game. “Four games in four days makes it hard on any team but hats off to Tygarts Valley, there were some times where it’s been a rollercoaster.”
TV took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning but TCS responded with two of their own to tie the game early on when Ryan Parker brought home Thomas Dinkel for the first TCS run. Next, Carmelo Kniska scored Parker Hopkins on a sacrifice fly.
Punches continued to be traded in a game that saw four lead changes and three ties. But ultimately, the Bulldogs used patience at the plate and timely hitting to extend the lead one last time. Three groundouts would end the game in the bottom of the seventh.
Trinity completes the season with a 13-12 record after only winning seven games a season ago. With only one senior in the starting lineup for most of the year this season, Hopkins has a solid foundation to build on from here. In fact, this was the first time in five years the Warriors earned a sectional tournament victory.
“At the beginning of the year, I knew we had a talented group of baseball players,” he said. “We got the program going back up again and last year had about seven wins, and to come back and have a thirteen-win season this year, a winning season this year, do well within our section and earn respect within our section speaks volumes and it means a lot for these young men.”
Tygarts Valley 8, Trinity 5
TV 210 203 0 – 8 8 1
TCS 201 120 0 – 5 7 2
Tygarts Valley – Gear 3220, Smith 4111, Wamsley 3312, Currence 3001, Moore 4011, Warner 3022, Armstrong 4110, Harris 3000, Wilson 2100
HR: Wamsley
Trinity – Hancox 4120, Dinkel 3111, Hopkins 4132, Parker 4001, Kniska 2011, McPherson 3000, Timperio 2000, Toler 3000, Kniska 2100
2B: Hancox, Hopkins
WP: Harris 7.0ip 7h 5r 3bb 5k
LP: Timperio 5.0ip 6h 5r 1bb 3k
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