BRIDGEPORT – Apparently Bridgeport couldn’t wait to get back to the Class AAA state tournament.
A day after winning in the seventh inning, the Indians scored four runs in the first inning Tuesday to capture the Region I championship with a 5-2 victory against Morgantown High.
The Mohigans (20-10) were the first to strike, despite the final score, when Ryan Fluharty singled on a line drive to left, scoring Aaron Jamison. Fluharty was the bright spot in the Mohigans batting order, tallying two RBI doubles in the game.
Maddox Bowers had the start for MHS. After two walks and a fielder’s choice by Bridgeport pitcher Ben McDougal, Bowers then hit Austin Dixon with a pitch, loading the bases with just one out.
Another walk would give the Indians their first run, tying the game as quickly as MHS had taken the lead.
That would prove to be the last batter for Bowers, as he gave way to Aiden Frombach. The second pitch thrown from the reliever was hit into center by Zach Rohrig, scoring the go-ahead run from third and giving his team a lead it wouldn’t give up. Two more runs in the first gave the Indians (34-5) a 4-1 advantage after just one inning.
“We gave up a big inning in the first and couldn’t rebound,” MHS head coach Pat Sherald said. “We left base runners on in scoring position and didn’t put the ball in play or get a big hit. Aiden Frombach did an outstanding job on the mound. He came into a tough situation and competed and gave us a chance to get back in the game.”
Bridgeport starter Ben McDougal was credited with the win after an impressive outing. He threw five innings, allowing the two MHS runs on four hits. The southpaw also struck out eight batters. Closer Austin Mann also threw two solid innings for a second straight game.
The fifth and final run for Bridgeport came in the third inning on a single to right field that scored Rohrig.
For the Mohigans, they struggled once again with finding hits with runners in scoring position, something Sherald has alluded to before. MHS earned six hits as a team but most of them were with no runners on any base.
Morgantown’s final record included a nine-game winning streak in the back half of April. MHS swept the season series against rival University and did defeat Bridgeport earlier in the season. Depsite losing some key contributors like pitcher Reed Bailey and Dominic Colasante, WVU commit Aaron Jamison will return next season, and freshman Weston Mazey will certainly be looked upon as a young leader for the Mohigans.
“This is a great group of kids and we are proud of our senior class,” Sherald said. “Our team always represented our team and school with class and integrity.”
Bridgeport (34-5)
Paulsen 2 1 1 0 Cole 2 1 0 0 McDougal 2 0 1 0 Dixon 2 1 0 0 Harbert 2 1 0 1 Rohrig 3 1 2 1 Reed 3 0 0 0 Bailey 3 0 1 2 Buffington 3 0 0 0
Morgantown (20-10)
Kennell 4 0 1 0 Jamison 1 2 0 0 Fluharty 3 0 2 2 Cottle 3 0 1 0 Poach 4 0 0 0 Galusky 3 0 1 0 Mazey 1 0 1 0 Anderson 2 0 0 0 Nutter 1 0 0 0 Whanger 2 0 0 0 Colasante 1 0 0 0
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