Moorefield walked 13 times around the West Virginia District 6 Area 2 8-10 years old All-Stars Baseball Tournament quarterfinals diamond traveling to home plate for an 18-3 victory over East Hardy in Romney on Saturday.
“Eight to ten year olds are like a box of chocolate, you never know what you are going to get when you open the box. This is what they needed, confidence. I think we can win a couple ball games now,” Moorefield 8-10 Baseball All-Stars manager Ashley Crites remarked.
Trevor Baldwin took the mound for Moorefield in the top of the first inning and pitched three consecutive strikeouts to East Hardy’s Renick Billmeyer, Gage Dove and Patrick Mills.
East Hardy starting pitcher Ora Dove walked Moorefield leadoff batter Izaiah Donovan, who stole second base and advanced to third base on a walk to Brock Linville.
A passed ball created the first run of the game for Moorefield as Donovan dashed to home plate.
Moorefield’s Oliver Crites made the initial hit of the game with an RBI single making it a 2-nil lead.
After a walk was given by Dove to Baldwin, a passed ball and error sent two runners sliding across home plate as Moorefield went up 4-0.
Moorefield’s Caleb Flinn and Shawn Reed drew walks setting up runners in scoring position for a big time hit for Josiah Howard slamming the ball for a two-run producing double in center field providing a 6-0 advantage.
During a strikeout on Gage Wolfe, the ball eluded East Hardy catcher Patrick Mills as Moorefield scored on the play.
Moorefield’s Ashtyn Cost reached first base on an error as East Hardy second baseman Gage Dove dropped the ball.
It was back to the top of the lineup with Donovan drawing another walk, then Linville hit an RBI groundout and an additional run came home on a passed ball as Moorefield took a 9-0 lead.
Ora Dove got out of the inning with a strikeout pitched to Crites.
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Moorefield relief pitcher Oliver Crites came to the mound in the top of the second inning.
East Hardy’s Korbin Miller opened the inning with a single into right field and stole second base, then Kaden Barrett singled into center field.
Miller scored on a passed ball, then Crites issued a walk to East Hardy’s Bodie Brill with the score at 9-1.
East Hardy’s Noah Ours struck out with runners on the corners and Crites chased Barrett back to third base.
A huge hit came for East Hardy as Ora Dove connected for a two-RBI single cutting the deficit to 9-3.
Dove was caught stealing by Moorefield catcher Gage Wolfe and Crites struck out East Hardy’s Landon Dunsmore eliminate any more runs.
Baldwin was hit by a pitch and stole second base in the bottom of the second inning for Moorefield, then Flinn drew a walk.
Reed’s grounder was stopped and ricocheted away from third base as a run came home.
Howard ripped another two-RBI double to boost the Moorefield lead up to 12-3, but was tagged out by East Hardy third baseman Korbin Miller denying a triple.
After a groundout by Wolfe, Cost reached on on an error by East Hardy shortstop Renick Billmeyer.
Donovan and Linville were issued walks and Cost scored on a miscue with the throw by Mills going past Dove.
East Hardy’s Korbin Miller came in to pitch and a run scored on a passed ball before giving a walk to Crites.
Baldwin plated a run on on a fielder’s choice to extend the Moorefield lead to 15-3.
A wild pitch created a run, then Miller walked Flinn and Reed loading the bases for Moorefield.
Howard took a walk sending Baldwin home, then Flinn scored on a passed ball for an 18-3 advantage.
Billmeyer tracked down a fly ball in shallow left field hit by Moorefield’s Drake Kimble for the last out of the inning.
East Hardy needed to score to keep the game going in the third inning and Billmeyer executed a perfect bunt single.
Dove hit into a fielder’s choice, then Mills grounded out as East Hardy had one last chance.
Miller reached first base on an error as the ball eluded Moorefield first baseman Trevor Baldwin, but he recovered it in time to make the throw home for Wolfe to make the final out at home plate tagging Dove to seal the win.
Moorefield advanced to the Area 2 championship game with a 14-5 victory over Pendleton County and will face Bi-State on Tuesday at 7:30 in Romney.
East Hardy moved to the loser’s bracket semifinals against Grant County on Monday night at 5:00.
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