BUCKHANNON – Morgantown Post 2 hit the ground running in the American Legion Area 2 Tournament Friday evening, scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning in a 13-3 rout of Bridgeport Post 68 on Hank Ellis Field at West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Morgantown’s (28-5) first seven batters all reached base to start the bottom of the first inning as Post 2 jumped ahead 6-0 after one frame.
“That’s an awesome start,” Post 2 manager Andy Altemus said. “It kind of sets the tone for the rest of the game.”
Gunner Riley and Wenkai Campbell both walked to lead off the inning and Cody Thomas reach on an error to load the bases with no outs. Tommy Montague pulled a ball into left field for a two-run single. Following another error and walk, Tristan Milik singled to make it 4-0 and Max Cash’s sacrifice fly was the first out of the inning, making it a 5-0 lead at the time. Gabe Templeton’s RBI groundout capped the six-run onslaught.
“We’re just having fun,” said Thomas, a University High graduate. “As long as we enjoy it, we’re going to be a tough team to beat. And if we play how we can, we’re going to be a really tough team to beat.”
Post 68 (18-13) got a run back in the top of the second on a successful double steal, but Morgantown added five runs in the bottom of the third to pull ahead 11-1. Riley hit an RBI single to score Milik and then Campbell’s two-run triple and Thomas’ RBI double helped fuel the rally.
“The one (bad) thing was having that zero in the second,” Altemus said. “You always have to keep scoring cause if they put up a couple, they might think they’re still in it and then you’ve got a ball game on your hands.”
After using just three pitchers through the first two tournament games, Post 2 had basically its entire arsenal of arms available to go Friday. Post 68, meanwhile, had to beat Clarksburg Post 13 4-1 earlier in the day to make it to Friday’s championship.
“We had to battle both days to get to that point,” Altemus said. “Having two teams go (earlier) it kind of took the edge off of (Post 68). They were exhausted from playing in that first game, so all we had to do was get ahead early and we did.”
Dylan Travinski started on the mound for Morgantown and delivered five solid innings, allowing three runs on five hits. Judd Messerly finished the game out of the bullpen with a scoreless sixth inning.
“Every one of our pitchers are going to go out and battle,” Thomas said. “When we have everyone available, it’s huge.”
Post 68 added two more runs in the top of the fourth, but Morgantown scored one each in the fifth and sixth to keep a comfortable cushion.
Thomas hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the fifth and Campbell’s RBI single in the bottom of the sixth ended the game via mercy rule.
The top of Post 2’s lineup did major damage as Riley had three hits, an RBI and scored twice, Campbell had three hits, three RBI and two runs, Thomas had a hit, two RBI and two runs and Montague had two hits and two RBI.
By making it to the area championship, both teams qualify for the state tournament.
Post 2 carries a 17-game winning streak into the state tournament, although Altemus said the team isn’t paying attention to it.
“I have an idea (of how many wins in a row) but I don’t know how many because it doesn’t really matter, especially in the postseason,” Altemus said. “It’s the most cliche thing ever, but you have to take it one game at a time.”
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 13, Bridgeport 3
Bdpt 010 200 – 3 6 4
Morg 605 011 – 13 15 1
POST 68 (18-13) – Romano 2000, Blake 1010, Lough 2010, Rohrig 1000, Biafore 1000, Pierce 1000, Duvall 1110, Viani 1000, Michaelis 1100, Via 3110, Goodwin 3021, Lively 3001, Gould 1000. Totals 21 3 6 2.
POST 2 (28-5) – Riley 4231, Campbell 3233, Thomas 3212, Montague 3122, Wolfe 1000, Cottle 3120, Walters 3100, Milik 4121, Cash 2111, Bry. McNew 1000, Templeton 2001, Dorkins 1210. Totals 30 13 15 11.
2B: Post 2 – Thomas.
3B: Post 68 – Lough. Post 2 – Campbell.
WP: Travinski 5ip, 3r, 5h, 1bb
LP: Goodwin 0ip, 6r, 1h, 3bb
