MORGANTOWN — The Morgantown High baseball team earned a pair of wins on Thursday afternoon at Dale Miller Field, first over John Marshall 1-0 in a pitchers duel, and another downing Uniontown (Pa.) 7-4. After previously defeating University 8-6 on Wednesday, the Mohigans made it three wins in 24 hours.
The first game saw MHS senior pitcher Hunter Dakan dealing in a contest where run support was scarce. The Mohigans scored just one run on six hits, three of those coming off the bat of senior Dylan Travinski. The only run of the game was scored in the bottom of the fourth inning when Eli Boggs scored Travinski on a sacrifice fly.
Dakan, a second-team all-state selection last season, threw a complete game shutout with only two hits, a single walk, and nine strikeouts on 89 pitches.
“We didn’t swing the bats like we wanted to and had some missed opportunities,” MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. “But I told Hunter to go out there and be selfish and pound the zone and that’s what he did. We have to find ways to break through offensively.”
The offense got going in game two against Uniontown as the Mohigans scored five of their seven runs in the first two innings. The Red Raiders were the first to get on the board in the top of the first inning on a fielder’s choice but the Mohigans answered in the bottom half of the inning as Travinksi scored Koa Silvers on a sac fly to tie the game.
Silvers drove in the go-ahead run in the bottom of the second on a fielder’s choice to give MHS the lead 2-1. Then the Mohigans scored on three wild pitches with two outs. That sequence extended the lead 5-1.
MHS senior starter Tristan Milik gave up only one of his five hits through the third and fourth innings and his offense continued adding run support with two more runs in the bottom of the fourth.
“Hats off to Tristan today, he missed a start due to a rain out and has done well coming back from some short rehab in the offseason,” Sherald said. “We had a chance to get a bunch of players in for the second game and they did a great job of finishing the job.”
Sam Watson earned his first career high school hit with a triple to left field, bringing two runners home and giving his team a 7-1 lead.
The Red Raiders added three runs in the top of the sixth inning but MHS closer Landon Bradley shut the door to finish the game with a final score of 7-4.
“When we built our schedule, we knew it would be a challenge every single game,” Sherald said. “These guys know it, and we have to find different ways to win ball games. We’re still learning our team and seeing different ways to make things happen and be successful. Really proud of the way we’ve been battling.”
Morgantown will return to Dale Miller Field today at noon to host Parkersburg South.
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 7, Uniontown (Pa.) 4
UHS 100 003 0 – 4 8 0
MHS 140 200 X – 7 5 1
UNIONTOWN — Kuhn 4000 Musko 4220 Grego 2010 Nehls 3012 Gasper 3111 Jackson 3010 Smiley 3010 Gresh 3000 Hinzy 3010
2B: Hinzy, Gasper, Musko
MORGANTOWN — Silvers 4321 Mazey 1000 M Boggs 2000 Nutter 1000 Watson 2013 Travinski 0001 Dalton 2000 Montague 2000 Neer 1010 E Boggs 0000 Jeffries 2100 Wolfe 1000 Aloi 2000 Gamble 1010 Fields 2100 Bowers 0100 Nipper 1100
2B: Silvers
3B: Watson
WP: Milik 5.1ip 5h 3r 1bb 5k
LP: Gasper 3.0ip 3h 6r 2bb 5k
