Moorefield American Legion Post 64 Baseball battled in a doubleheader at Geoge Hott Field on Thursday in the season opener, but fell short against Garrett County Post 214/71 in a 7-5 eight inning game and 9-7 five inning contest.
Members of Moorefield Post 64 are from state champion Yellow Jackets, East Hardy, Petersburg, Fort Defiance, Potomac State College and Salem International University.
“A typical opening day trying to get to know each other a little bit better, learning to play with each other,” Moorefield Post 64 manager Ritchie Baldwin commented.
“I thought we were a little flat, but I thought we responded well in the later inning of both games. We left a lot of runners on. Pitching is a little different league to pitch in. The pitchers have to learn to hit corners and throw off-speed stuff. It will come and we’ll get better as we play.”
Moorefield Post 64 starting pitcher threw a fastball and catcher Westly Martinez reached up to snatch the ball and caught the backswing of Garrett County Post 214/71 batter Hayden McLaughlin which injured his hand requiring treatment and Lane Ours stepped in as the backup catcher.
McLaughlin stole second base and advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Calyb King.
Garrett County Post 214/71’s Brandon Lucas launched a fly ball which was caught by Moorefield Post 64 left fielder Garett Haggerty and the throw home to Ours was in time for the tag to be applied for the out.
Moorefield Post 64 leadoff batter Brent Moran went down swinging on a strikeout by Garrett County Post 214/71 pitcher Corey Ashby.
Moorefield Post 64’s Isaac Van Meter garnered a single just past the reach of Garrett County Post 214/71 shortstop Calyb King and third baseman Elliott Schilpp.
Van Meter was stranded as Jake Ours struck out and Austin Whetzel grounded out.
Ashby drew a leadoff walk in the second inning for Garrett County Post 214/71, then advanced to third base on a double by Bryce Jones down the left field line just past the dive of Moorefield Post 64 third baseman Hayden Baldwin.
Garrett County Post 214/71’s Elliott Schilpp made an RBI groundout to Moorefield Post 64 second baseman Brent Moran to first baseman Grant Keller.
Peyton Carr sent a ball just over the stretch of Moorefield Post 64 right fielder Fisher Wheeler arriving at second base producing one run and reached third base on the throw to Moran.
Garrett County Post 214/71 took a 3-nil advantage as Sam Beeman made an RBI sacrifice fly which was caught by Wheeler.
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Watts issued a walk to Joey McComas before retiring the side with a strikeout to McLaughlin.
“In the first game, I thought we swung the bats well. We came from behind in that game a little bit and forced it into extra innings with good relief pitching,” Garrett County Post 214/71 coach Phil Carr remarked.
“The second game, we got down and in both games we were able to fight back. We got some key hits and the squeeze bunt where we got two runs, so we worked some small ball in there. We are a young team, kind of like Moorefield. We have Northern and Southern kids with just one college kid from West Virginia Tech and we have one senior. They [Moorefield] are very talented and they were last year. A lot of them were 13 or 14 last year and they fought back when they were down to comeback. I know their pitcher starting the second game pitched a shutout in the state semifinals and I thought our guys did well against good quality pitching. They have a lot of young talent. It was two good wins for us, because we didn’t know if we could win coming down here since we didn’t have our best pitchers.”
In the bottom of the second inning, Moorefield Post 64’s Baldwin ripped deep shot into left field, but Garrett County Post 214/71 left fielder Sam Beeman made a leaping catch near the fence.
Ashby gave walks to Moorefield Post 64’s Lane Ours (Derek Hoyt runner) and Gran Keller before Garett Haggerty flew out to center fielder Brandon Lucas.
Wheeler was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Moorefield Post 64, but the runners were left aboard on a groundout by Moran.
Garrett County Post 214/71 went down in order during the third inning on a pop-up caught by Moran, then Moran and Van Meter fielded grounders to Keller for the next two outs.
Van Meter popped up the catcher McLaughlin looked up as the ball bounced down to the dirt giving new life, but Peyton Carr would field a ground ball hit by Van Meter for an out moments later.
Moorefield Post 64’s Jake Ours and Austin Whetzel drew walks, then Baldwin hit into a fielder’s choice out at second base and was safe at first base as the ball was dropped.
Jake Ours came home on a passed ball to cut the deficit to 3-1, then brother Lane Ours took a walk and Keller grounded out to end the frame.
Jones singled on a blooper just above the diving reach of Van Meter in shallow left field, then Lane Ours caught a pop-up bunt by Schilpp.
Carr smacked a double into right field over Wheeler, then Beeman hit into a fielder’s choice with Lane Ours making the tag and Watts notched a strikeout to end the side.
Haggerty sliced a leadoff single into left field, then Wheeler executed a bunt which moved through the grass to shortstop King.
Moran bunted and was tagged out by first baseman Bryce Jones as the runners advanced.
Ashby struck out Van Meter and sent a free pass to Jake Ours to load the bases.
On a dropped third strike (passed ball), Whetzel reached first base as Haggerty scored as Moorefield Post 64 closed the gap to 3-2 and Baldwin flew out to right field.
Moorefield Post 64 pitcher Jakob Mauzy took the mound in the fifth inning and McLaughlin reached base on catcher’s interference again.
Keller fielded a bunt by King and applied the tag, but there was nobody covering third base for a potential double play.
Moran knocked down a hit by Lucas and collected it in time for a groundout, but McLaughlin scored during the sequence to give Garrett County Post 214/71 a 4-2 advantage.
Ashby sent the ball flying into right field where Moorefield Post 64 right fielder Derek Hoyt made a sliding attempt for a catch only for the ball to elude capture, then Moran fielded a ground ball for the third out.
After a flyout by Lane Ours and a strikeout to Keller, Haggerty connected for a single in left field for Moorefield Post 64.
Hoyt was given a walk and timeout was called as Bradie Moore came in to pitch for Garrett County 214/71, then Moran hit into a fielder’s choice out at third base.
In the sixth inning, Garrett County Post 214/71’s Elliott Schilpp doubled into the left center gap and Carr followed with a bunt single back to Mauzy.
A timeout was called, then Mauzy recorded a strikeout.
Moore hit an RBI bunt single for a 5-2 lead.
A pickoff attempt turned into a rundown as Mauzy threw to Moran, who was keeping an eye on the runner at third base, then passed to Keller who was able to entice Carr to leave toward home plate and catcher Lane Ours received the pass and tossed to Baldwin at third base and returned the ball to Ours to make the tag for the out, then the inning ended on a groundout.
Van Meter singled off Moore into center field and stole second base, then Jake Ours was walked going Moorefield Post 64 a pair of baserunners.
Whetzel hit into a fielder’s choice with Van Meter dancing before being tagged on the way to third base.
Baldwin crushed a two-run producing double into left center field as Garrett County Post 214/71’s lead was sliced to 5-4.
Moorefield Post 64 tied the game at 5-all as Lane Ours knocked an RBI single into right field.
Ours was caught stealing and Keller grounded out to the pitcher denying additional runs.
In the seventh inning with the game knotted at five runs apiece, both teams went down in order.
Hoyt caught a fly ball by King, Mauzy pitched a strikeout to Lucas and Ashby grounded out to Van Meter as Garrett County Post 214/71 came up empty.
Moorefield Post 64 had a little more luck as Haggerty reached first base on a single into right field, but that luck disappeared as Hoyt struck out and Moran hit into a double play forcing extra innings in the doubleheader.
In the top of the eighth inning, Garrett County Post 214/71’s Jones was hit by a pitch and advanced on a sacrifice bunt before Carr singled into right field.
Beeman garnered an RBI double and the throw home by center fielder Jake Ours was in time for Lane Ours to apply the tag for the out and Carr took third base on the sequence.
Moore connected for an RBI single past the dive of Van Meter to create a 7-5 lead.
McLaughlin singled into right field, then Mauzy issued a walk loading the bases before preventing another run with a strikeout.
Van Meter flew out as Lucas made a diving catch and Jake Ours struck out leaving Moorefield Post 64 with one more out in the game to rally.
Whetzel was hit by a pitch which caused an argument over the call, but a pickoff throw with Whetzel sliding back to first base with the tag coming down by Jones was ruled an out and Whetzel let the umpire know it must have been a make-up call as the final stood at 7-5.
Due to the extra inning game, the second contest of the doubleheader was limited to five innings.
Moorefield Post 64 starting pitcher Garett Haggerty, who won the state semifinal began the second game with a strikeout to McLaughlin, then a strikeout to Carr turned into a dropped third strike (passed ball) and first baseman Austin Whetzel tried to make the catch and fell backward dropping the ball for the error.
A pitch deflected off catcher Lane Ours allowing Carr to reach third base, then Lucas connected for an RBI double into left field for a 1-0 Garrett County Post 214/71 edge.
Haggerty countered with a strikeout and Jake Ours caught a fly ball to retire the side.
Garrett County Post 214/71 pitcher Carsyn King induced a groundout by Moran, then Van Meter’s fly ball was caught on a dive by Lucas and Watts struck out.
King singled to get things going in the top of the second inning just past a dive by Moran and advanced on a sacrifice bunt.
Garrett County Post 214/71’s Lucas Root kept the momentum going with a single as Baldwin fielded the ball at third base and the throw was a bit wide forcing Whetzel to come off the bag for the catch.
Nate Tasker notched an RBI double with runners on the corners into right field with Blake Watts collecting the ball.
McLaughlin sent the ball flying into right field and Watts made the catch taking two steps before dropping the ball on transfer with a runner tagging up to go home on the sacrifice fly, 3-0.
Garrett County Post 214/71 went up 4-nil as Carr created an RBI single into right field.
A grounder by Lucas was fielded by Whetzel with the tag being applied reaching out as Lucas tried to side step along the line with contact causing Lucas to stumble to the ground, then the umpire gave a warning to Whetzel.
On a full-count, Whetzel swung and the ball appeared to have hit his hand as it ricocheted to the pitcher fielding for an out and there was a question to the umpire whether he was out or not.
Baldwin unleashed a double into right field, then there was chatter from the dugout and the umpire ejected Whetzel from the game.
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the plate, Jake Ours smacked a single into left field to put runners in scoring position.
Haggerty garnered an RBI single and moved to second base on the throw home as Baldwin slid safely into third base with the score at 4-1 and a double play off the bat of Lane Ours ended another scoring opportunity (line drive/out at second).
Moorefield Post 64’s Tanner Champ came in to replace Whetzel at first base.
Ashby drew a walk and Haggerty hit Jones with a pitch, then Garrett County Post 214/71 loaded the bases on a bunt single by Carsyn King.
A passed all enabled Ashby to score, then Haggerty countered with a strikeout.
Root made an RBI groundout for a 6-1 lead for Garrett County Post 214/71 and Haggerty got out of the jam with another strikeout.
King pitched a strikeout to Hoyt to begin the bottom of the third inning.
Moran delivered a stand-up double into center field to spark some energy for Moorefield Post 64.
Beeman made a diving catch on a shot by Van Meter and Moran advanced on a passed ball.
Watts ripped an RBI single into the left center gap to make it 6-2 and was stranded on a strikeout to Champ.
Moorefield Post 64 made some line-up changes as Adam Baker covered first base, Haggerty became the second baseman, Moran moved to third base and Baldwin stepped up to the pitcher’s mound.
Baldwin hurled a strikeout to McLaughlin, then a fly ball by Carr was met on a dive by Hoyt with it ricocheting off the glove and recovered in time for the out thrown to Haggerty at second base.
Lucas zipped the ball past Baldwin pedaling backward and falling on the play, but regained composure for a strikeout to Ashby.
In the bottom of the fourth inning, Baldwin and Jake Ours connected for back-to-back singles.
After a flyout by Haggerty, Lane Ours executed a bunt single to load the bases for Moorefield Post 64.
Hoyt drew a walk sending Baldwin home for one run, then Moran’s hit took a wicked hop past first base for an RBI single.
Van Meter plated Lane Ours on a fielder’s choice out to cut the deficit to 6-5.
Watts garnered a two-run producing single past Jones to give Moorefield Post 64 a 7-6 edge.
Schilpp came in to pitch for Garrett County Post 214/71 and struck out Adam Baker.
Fisher Wheeler was the catcher for Moorefield Post 64 in the fifth inning with Baldwin still on the mound.
Jones reached on an error as the pass from Moran eluded Baker at first base and advanced to second base, then King grounded out.
Garrett County Post 214/71’s Joey McComas singled as Baldwin’s throw was wide and Baker made the catch of the base.
Root planted a bunt with Baldwin scooping it up with a fielder’s choice toss to catcher Fisher Wheeler, who couldn’t corral the ball as the tying run came across the plate.
Tanker hit into a fielder’s choice collected again by Baldwin and this time the tag was made at home.
Garrett County Post 214/71 went ahead 9-7 as Schilpp and Carr recorded RBI singles before a flyout caught by Ours ended the side.
Schilpp issued a walk to Baldwin, then Jake Ours flew out to Lucas.
Haggerty struck out, then Wheeler was thrown out at first base on a dropped third strike reaching the base as the ball hit the glove of Jones in a close play that ended the game and Baldwin slammed his helmet down in shock as Garrett County Post 214/71 won 9-7 denying Moorefield Post 64 a victory on opening day.
Moorefield Post 64 (0-2) will be competing at the Hillbilly Hardball Classic next weekend with a rematch against Garrett County Post 214/71 (3-1) in Elkins.
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