MORGANTOWN – After 5-11 start to the season, the Morgantown Post 2 baseball team (9-11) have won their last four games in a row. The latest coming Tuesday evening under the lights as visiting Wheeling Post 1 didn’t go down without a fight.
It would be the visitors that would open the scoring in the top of the second inning, as the catcher Jack Selmon singled to give his team the lead early on.
Mayson Jack had the mound for Post 2 to begin the game.
Morgantown would answer shortly after, scoring all four of its runs in the bottom half of the third inning. Catcher Park Croyle scored from third on a wild pitch by Wheeling starter Fankhouser. Next up was Aaron Forbes who hit a high fly ball into center field, but the ball was dropped and allowed Kason Nealy to give Post 2 the lead 2-1.
A third Morgantown run extended the lead when Cody Thomas singled to left, scoring Jacob Kennell to make the lead 3-1. Forbes would add the fourth run directly after when Tommy Montague grounded out to short.
Making a difference in games this season has often come down to one or two big offensive innings for Post 2. It was no different Tuesday as all four Post 2 runs were scored in the third. Head coach Andy Altemus says his teams ability to build momentum and be confident is making the difference.
“I really love the effort tonight, Wheeling is a great baseball team coming off of a 6-0 weekend,” said Altemus. “We saw a little bit of adversity and matched it which I liked. Some opportunities were left out there but after winning five of our last six the willingness to compete is much stronger and it shows.”
After five runs combined in the first three innings, the scoring hit a lull as neither team would add a run until the top of the sixth.
Trailing 4-1 with only six outs left to make a comeback, Wheeling came to bat needing to string together some hits and get runners on base.
Jack Scouvert began the rally reaching first on a missed scoop at first base. He would score on the very next play as Selmon hit a laser that reached the left field fence before hitting the ground. The next batter, Quinn Jamison, hit a fly ball to left that looked routine, but it was dropped by Zach Brennan and Wheeling would only trail by 1 going into the seventh.
“We scored four, but we should’ve scored six, I knew the final score wasn’t going to stay at 4-1,” Altemus said. “You can’t let a team like that hang around, they a really good and they’re going to compete as much as we are. Our goal is to score every inning so we want more.”
Depsite the desire for more runs, the four scored would prove to be enough. After no runs in the top of the seventh for Post 2, Wheeling came to bat looking to extend the game. With one out and a runner on second, a wild pitch by reliever Dominic Colasante allowed the runner to advance to third.
Braden Kupsky stepped to the plate with one out and the tying run just 90 feet away. On a 3-1 count, Kupsky sent the ball high in the air to center field. Kason Nealy got under the ball, knowing the runner would attempt to tag-up and tie the game. Nealy caught the ball and threw a one-hop laser to Park Croyle who was waiting to tag the runner out to end the game.
“I told them today that they are starting to realize they are a good team,” Altemus said. “We are trying to do everything together and it’s coming together at the right time. We put together the hardest possible schedule this year and if you can take some punches maybe you’re good enough to make it.”
Post 2 will return home Thursday night to host St. Clairsville, Ohio with first pitch set for 7:00 p.m. at Dale Miller Field.
Morgantown Post 2 (9-11)
Nealy 3110 Kennell 3110 Forbes 3110 Brennan 2000 Thomas 2011 Montague 3001 Cottle 3020 Walters 3000 Croyle 3110
Wheeling Post 1
Marsh 4000 Taylor 4010 Gongola 2010 Toepfer 4010 Taylor 2000 Kupsky 4010 Scouvart 3220 Selmon 4122 Jamison 2010
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