MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown Post 2 baseball team’s start to the summer season has been up and down, to say the least. After a 1-3 start, they have since won four out of six games to pull back to a .500 record (5-5) and are looking to build on some recent offensive success after combining for 24 runs in two wins, the latest 9-6 over visiting Clarksburg Post 13.
Former University High School player Aaron Forbes, now playing at Salem University, made his first appearance of the summer for Post 2 and impacted the game at the plate, going 3 for 4 with three singles, an RBI, and three runs scored.
The Post 2 defense also stepped up to hold Clarksburg to six runs on eleven hits, committing one error. The defensive effort was highlighted right away in the top of the first inning when Post 2 shortstop Cody Thomas ranged to his left and made a diving stop behind second base before flipping the ball to Jett Walters at second with his glove, who then made the throw to first for an inning-ending double play.
“Our hitters are continuing to try and gain some confidence and I thought we swung it well tonight,” Post 2 head coach Andy Altemus said after the game. “We left a few too many runners on base also. But one thing we really want to see is the pitching match the hitting. If our pitchers go out and have confidence and throw strikes that should translate to the hitting.”
Morgantown built a 3-1 lead heading into the top of the third inning after a two-RBI single by Caleb Cottle in the bottom of the first, and another being scored when Forbes singled in his second at-bat.
However, four of the six Post 13 runs would come in the top of the third inning as Post 2 pitcher Mayson Jack gave up six hits in the frame. Four singles and two doubles allowed the visitors to snatch the momentum, and a 5-3 lead, from the hosts.
After scoring a run on a sacrifice fly by Gabe Templeton in the third that cut the lead to one, Tyler Furbee came on in relief of Jack, retiring the side in the fourth. The confidence by Furbee on the mound did what was needed for his offense, as it exploded for four runs in the bottom half of the frame.
“I think that’s where we are hoping we get too,” Altemus said. “And I think we will now that we have our full roster and as we continue to get better.”
The four runs came on a simple ground ball that was thrown over first base, allowing two runs to score, a wild pitch that allowed Cottle to score, and a base hit by Ethan Dorkins that scored Thomas.
The final run came in the bottom of the fifth for Post 2 on a sacrifice fly by Cottle that brought Forbes in to give us our final score of 9-6.
Post 2 will play Fairmont tonight before heading to North Carolina this weekend for a series of games.
Morgantown 9, Clarksburg 6
Clarksburg 014 010 0 – 6 11 6
Morgantown 211 410 X – 9 7 1
Morgantown – Bailey 3110, Forbes 4331, Montague 2110, Cottle 4123, Thomas 3201, Templeton 1000, Walters 2000, Croyle 3000, Dorkins 3111
2B: Montague
Clarksburg – Sutton 4010, Aman 4111, Cook 4231m Sutton 3100, Eddy 3111, Richards 4021, McPherson 2012, Heslep 2000, Floyd 3120, Wageman 1000
2B: Cook, Aman, Eddy
WP: Furbee 3.0ip 3h 1r 0bb 2k
LP: George 3.0ip 4h 4r 5bb 0k
S: Cottle 1.0ip 1h 0r 1bb 1k
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