Moorefield Post 64 fumbled away an early lead as Kingwood Post 56 rallied for a 5-3 victory at George Hott Field during the American Legion Baseball Area 4 Tournament opener on Thursday.
“It started when Isaac [Van Meter] started getting sore. My plan was to go as far as I could with him,” Moorefield Post 64 skipper Ritchie Baldwin remarked.
“Jake [Mauzy] came in and pitched well. Errors kill you. You’ve got to know what you are doing. If you don’t, they are going to capitalize and they did. I didn’t think we hit well. Their pitcher kept us off-balance all night. He did a great job, but we didn’t do a great job adapting to what he was giving us. Regroup and come out here again and try to get the W. I want to play two games on Saturday. We’ll see what happens.”
Kingwood Post 56 pitcher Andrew Kerzak initiated the game with a strikeout to Moorefield Post 64 leadoff batter Chase Ault.
Brett Tharp connected for a single up the middle for Moorefield Post 64 and was held in check by Kerzak sending him diving back twice during Blake Watts at-bat, then stranded as Watts popped out and Jake Ours struck out.
The outfield defense helped Moorefield Post 64 pitcher Isaac Van Meter celebrate his birthday with three consecutive catches in the bottom of the first inning with Watts snatching the ball twice and Ours tracking down a line drive.
In the top of the second inning, Moorefield Post 64’s Hayden Baldwin crushed a double near the center field fence and advanced to third base on a flyout by Austin Whetzel.
Van Meter garnered an RBI sacrifice fly into right field for a 1-nil lead before being left aboard on a strikeout to Lane Ours.
Kingwood Post 56’s Austin Forbes sliced a single into left field, then Tucker Livengood bunted the ball into the air and it was caught by Van Meter.
Watts made a diving save for a catch to keep Forbes at first base, but Kingwood Post 56 managed to tie the game as Ethan Stewart singled into center field with the ball eluding Ours giving Forbes time to race home and Tharp took the cutoff firing to Ault denying a double to end the frame.
Kerzak tossed a strikeout to Moorefield Post 64’s Garett Haggerty to begin the third inning before issuing a walk to Ault.
Tharp singled into left center field as the momentum continued with Watts and Jake Ours smacking back-to-back RBI singles for a 3-1 advantage with the latter hopping past a sliding attempt in left field.
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Baldwin hit into a fielder’s choice as Kingwood Post 56 shortstop Corey Pyles made a leaping throw from second base which sailed high into first baseman Ethan Haskiell’s glove with Baldwin safely arriving ducking underneath.
Whetzel sent the ball into a fielder’s choice with the tag applied to Baldwin for the last out of the side.
Kingwood Post 56’s James McCrosky connected for a leadoff single, then was caught stealing by Moorefield Post 64 catcher Lane Ours with the throw to Ault making the tag.
Van Meter pitched a strikeout to Byron Brandt before beaning Kerzak and Whetzel closed the inning fielding a grounder.
Moorefield Post 64 looked to keep the bats going in the fourth inning as Van Meter singled into right field, then Lane Ours executed a sacrifice bunt before Kerzak slammed the door with two strikeouts.
Baldwin and Tharp caught pop-up hits and Jake Ours collected the last out to prevent any Kingwood Post 56 runners.
Moving to the fifth inning, Tharp unleashed a deep fly ball into right center field and Livengood chased it down crashing to the ground.
Watts reached base on a dropped third strike with the throw over to first base eluding Haskiell, but Jake Ours and Baldwin flew out in left field as the score remained at 3-1.
Whetzel went to his knees trying to scoop up a grounder by Williams and it took a wicked hop into right field.
Haggerty and Ours made catches in the outfield, then Kingwood Post 59’s Byron Brandt delivered a two-out rally RBI single to shortstop Tharp with Whetzel making the jump for the catch and not coming down in time and the throw to home plate with Lane Ours spinning around to make a tag a fraction too late as the deficit was cut to 3–2 and a groundout ended the inning.
Whetzel drew a walk and advanced to second base on a pickoff error, then Van Meter hit a line drive out and the double play attempt went awry as the ball was dropped while Whetzel dove back.
A groundout by Lane Ours and a flyout by Haggerty negated a potential run.
Moorefield Post 64 relief pitcher Jakob Mauzy stepped to the mound in the bottom of the sixth inning and Haskell connected on a full-count pitch for a single in center field.
Watts caught a fly ball from Pyles to nullify an advancement.
Forbes punched the ball up the middle and the throw home was too late as Kingwood Post 56 tied the game at 3-all.
Livengood hit into a fielder’s choice which turned into a parade of errors causing one run to score for the lead as Tharp’s throw eluded Baldwin at third base and the toss to second base went awry as Forbes came home.
Kingwood Post 56’s Dillon Williams garnered an RBI single into right field to extend the edge 5-3 before a double play ended the inning.
Ault fouled off seven times before popping out at third base to commence the seventh inning for Moorefield Post 64.
Kerzak struck out Tharp, then Stewart came in as the closer for Kingwood Post 56.
Watts singled into center field, then Stewart countered with a 1-2 curveball to Jake Ours striking out looking to end the game.
Kingwood Post 56 advanced in the winner’s bracket facing Romney Post 91 on Friday night and Moorefield Post 64 has a day’s rest in the double elimination format of the Area 4 Tournament waiting to play the loser of that game on Saturday afternoon.
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