The Yellow Jackets remained poised in the Hive warding off East Hardy 11-0 in five innings to claim the Class A Region II Section 2 Baseball Championship at George Hott Field during an All-Hardy County title clash on Friday.
“It’s a great team win. These guys have worked hard from the beginning of the season. The only thing we’ve talked about is improving as the season went along,” Moorefield skipper Wade Armentrout remarked.
“It showed tonight, our defense was good, we fielded the ball well. We had another good inning where we had several hits and scored four runs with two outs. We just progressively are getting better as it goes along. That’s really the only thing we have control over. These guys work hard and have a great time. They support each other and they know what their role is. They let everybody do what they do best.”
The Cougars (7-16) were the defending section champions, but their top two pitchers used their allotment to push past No. 8 Pendleton County 5-2 to reach the final again.
No. 4 Moorefield (18-9) had time to rest before the championship putting freshman Isaac Van Meter on the mound for a one-hitter with six strikeouts in the victory over East Hardy.
Van Meter hurled strikeouts to East Hardy’s Logan Whetzel and Alex Miller to begin the title contest and Clay Skovron flew out to center fielder Jake Ours.
East Hardy pitcher Alex Miller beaned Moorefield leadoff batter Brent Moran on the first pitch and hit Garett Haggerty to allow two baserunners.
Blake Watts ripped an RBI single into right field to give the Yellow Jackets a 1-nil edge and teammates rushed out of the dugout to celebrate greeting Moran.
Ours hit into a fielder’s choice out at second base and was safe on the throw by shortstop Brett Tharp.
Moorefield’s Hayden Baldwin notched an RBI groundout with runners on the corners hit to second baseman Logan Whetzel, then Van Meter garnered an RBI single into right field for a 3-0 lead before Lane Ours grounded out.
In the second inning the Cougars went down in order again as Brett Tharp grounded out to Van Meter, Adam Baker flew out in left center field to Ours and Christian Dove struck out.
The Yellow Jackets wasted no time getting on base as Grant Keller commenced the bottom half of the frame with a single just past the dive of Tharp at shortstop.
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Moorefield’s Thomas Williams hit into a fielder’s choice out by Whetzel, then Moran reached base on an error as Tharp dropped the ball on the transfer from glove to hand.
Miller issued a walk to Haggerty to load the bases prior to Watts hitting a pop-out to Tharp.
Moorefield’s Jake Ours garnered a two-run producing single aided by an error by third baseman Noah Miller.
Baldwin launched an RBI double into center field where Skovron had trouble picking the ball up as Ours safely slid into third base.
On a ball four passed ball to Van Meter, Ours slid home just ahead of the tag for a 7-0 advantage.
Baldwin was caught in a rundown diving tag by Brett Tharp a couple of yards away from home plate.
The lone hit by the Cougars came off the bat of Andrew Tharp for a single in left field starting off the third inning.
Tharp stole second base prior to a strikeout on Noah Miller, then Seth Smith made a sacrifice bunt and Whetzel grounded out to Moran leaving Tharp at third base.
Moorefield’s Lane Ours hit a line drive into the leaping glove of Brett Tharp, then Keller was issued a walk and catcher Andrew Tharp caught him stealing second base with a throw to brother Brett.
Williams reached base on an error by Brett Tharp, but Noah Miller escaped the inning with a strikeout to Moran.
East Hardy went down in order during the top of the fourth inning as Alex Miller grounded out to shortstop Moran, Skovron grounded out to second baseman Thomas Williams with the throws to Watts at first base and Brett Tharp flew out to center fielder Jake Ours.
The Yellow Jackets scored four runs with two outs in the fourth inning to extend the damage to 11-nil.
Haggerty flew out to East Hardy right fielder Seth Smith and Watts grounded out to third baseman Andrew Tharp with the wide throw caught by Baker making the tag.
Jake Ours arrived at first base on an error by Andrew Tharp before Baldwin and Van Meter took free passes to load the bases.
A passed ball created an opening for Jake Ours to slide home for a run to put Moorefield up 8-0.
Moorefield’s Matt Mongold drew a walk to load the bases again and the Cougars sent Andrew Tharp to the mound.
Keller garnered a two-run RBI single into left field and Ben O’Neill smacked an RBI single into right center field to create an 11-0 lead for the Yellow Jackets.
Williams returned to run the bases and Moran was issued a walk to load the bases before Haggerty hit a line drive to Whetzel to end the scoring onslaught.
“I definitely think we made it a lot further than what people thought we would make it which is an accomplishment for them as a young team this year,” East Hardy coach Eric Heflin commented.
“We beat a lot of people’s expectations which is always a good thing. Against Pendleton County, they seemed a little more ready, not that they didn’t seem ready tonight. We just seemed to have that drive to win on Thursday. Tonight we just got down early and never got back up. That was an issue throughout the season and this time it really matters and we just lost. We are going to come back next year and try to go even further than we did this year. We are going to work hard and get better.”
Van Meter tossed strikeouts to Baker and Dove before jamming Andrew Tharp into a pop-up caught by catcher Lane Ours for the final out of the championship sealing it for the Yellow Jackets.
“It means a lot, especially doing it in county against another good team. I felt really good today, probably the best I’ve felt all year,” Moorefield championship winning pitcher Isaac Van Meter noted.
Moorefield players signed autographs for Little League players in attendance after celebrating with the championship plaque.
Moorefield seniors Jake Ours and Garett Haggerty gave coach Wade Armentrout a victory shower.
“That’s good. That’s one step from where we want to be. These guys have accomplished that. It’s been awhile since we’ve had that feeling and these guys worked hard to get to this point. We want to enjoy it and take some time to let these guys know that winning is fun and it should be that way,” Coach Armentrout concluded.
The Yellow Jackets will have a week to prepare for the Region II Championship which will be against the Section 1 winner, either Gilmer County or Notre Dame.
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