Post 2’s Evan Smith delivers a pitch against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Evan Smith delivers a pitch against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Colton Matthews is forced out by Elkins’ Nathan Cooper on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Ethan smith beats the tag by Elkins’ Nathan Cooper on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Ethan Smith at bat against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Devon Neal makes the tag on Elkins’ Cory Reed on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Casey Smith connects on a pitch against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Evan Smith delivers a pitch against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Quintin Smith misses the tag on Elkins’ Gage Bibey on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Evan Smith delivers a pitch against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Caleb Taylor looks on during their game against Elkins on Friday at Mylan Park. 
Post 2’s Quintin Smith gets forced out by Elkins’ Nathan Cooper on Friday at Mylan Park.
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Sometimes all you need in baseball is one good inning.
On Day 1 of the WAJR Wood Bat Classic at Mylan Park, the Morgantown Post 2 baseball team got off to a slow start in its season opener. After two innings it trailed Elkins Post 29 2-0.
The hometown sluggers wouldn’t stay down long, however, as they came through with a four-run fourth inning that would lead to a 4-3 victory.
“That’s why it’s a team game. A lot of things went our way that inning, but we also created our own fortune by continuing to hit the ball into gaps and having guys on and in position. We set ourselves up to succeed,” Post 2 coach Tyler Barnette said.
Post 2 would earn five walks during the inning, and scored its first run of the night as Devon Neal crossed home plate on a passed ball. A Quintin Smith line drive double would drive home an additional two runs for Morgantown to secure the lead, and Evan Smith would score on another passed ball before the inning was finished.
“We just got a spark, and once we get a little momentum we’re good. We’re the best team at the plate in the state, and whenever we hit we win. Hopefully our next game we hit even more. It was just enough to scrape by tonight,” Evan Smith said.
Elkins’ Gage Bibey tallied the first run of the evening on an error following a pair of second inning singles, and extended the gap on a Remington Stanley sacrifice fly that sent Cory Reed home.
Post 29 threatened to open its lead even more, loading the bases with just one out after securing the two-run lead. Evan Smith would save any further damage for Morgantown, stringing together back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.
“If I don’t come through there then I let my guys down, and I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t ask for a better defense behind me. If it wasn’t for those guys it wouldn’t be possible. Being able to stand up there and throw strikes when you need to is the biggest thing in baseball,” he said.
“To only let them score two in that inning was big, and that’s something we talked about in the dugout. That’s a young guy on the mound leading a veteran team, and for him to be able to do what he did, we’re really proud of him,” Barnette added.
Post 2 will take the diamond twice today during the second afternoon of the Wood Bat Classic. It will host Romney Post 91 at 4 pm. and Uniontown Post 51 at 7 pm. The squad hopes to continue to make an impressive impact to open the season.
“We just have to keep doing what we’re doing. If everyone does their job we will be successful, and that’s how we run our program. Everyone has a job to do, and if you do it, and everyone next to you does their job, we’re going to be fine,” Barnette said.
“We’re coming in here in our mindset to murder everyone we play. We don’t want to show any mercy. We’re trying to come in, start the season strong and show the state what we have,” Evan Smith added.
