Class A No. 9 Tygarts Valley shook off the Yellow Jackets to collect a doubleheader sweep with scores of 6-2 and 20-9 at George Hott Field on Friday night.
Bulldogs ace Jaxon Drennen hurled 15 strikeouts and allowed only two hits against Class AA Moorefield during the opening game.
The Yellow Jackets countered with Trevor Baldwin pitching nine strikeouts in the first contest.
“I knew coming into it, that today was going to be tough. We play them every year and usually it is a struggle for us to even come out on top. We do have a pretty good team this year and hope to get up high in the tournament. They were hitting the ball as well as we were. It was a tight game, until they made some mistakes and we had to take advantage of it every time we could. We have had some games recently where we struggled at the plate, so it was good to see us hitting today. Hopefully, this will give us a boost into the postseason,” Tygarts Valley coach Juston Armstrong commented.
Drennan commenced the game launching the ball into center field where it was dropped for a two-bagger.
Baldwin issued a walk to Adam Woods, then Moorefield catcher Oliver Crites initiated a pickoff rundown with third baseman Zeke Eye making the tag.
Tygarts Valley got another base runner on a single from Kaden Moore.
A pickoff error allowed the Bulldogs to score, then Austin Teter smacked an RBI single into left field with an error for a 2-nil edge.
Moorefield got out of the jam as Baldwin notched back-to-back strikeouts.
Baldwin started the bottom of the first inning with a single for the Yellow Jackets.
The Bulldogs committed a pickoff error as Baldwin stole second base, then advanced on a dropped third strike to Kail Greenwalt before being left aboard on two strikeouts by Drennan to Oliver Crites and Blake Snyder.
Moorefield center fielder Caleb Flinn caught a fly ball and Baldwin corralled a pop-up in the second inning.
Tygarts Valley’s Kendall Armstrong plowed into first baseman Cyrus Kump and toppled over the bag on a single with the ball zipping past the sequence prior to a strikeout by Baldwin retiring the side.
Moorefield’s Davin Abreu was hit by a pitch, then caught stealing before Drennan closed the frame with strikeouts to Flinn and Kump.
Woods reached base for the Bulldogs on an infield single beating out the throw by Moorefield shortstop Blake Snyder.
Moore garnered an RBI single into left field and was safe back to first base on an error, 3-0.
Tygarts Valley’s Austin Teter and Jacob Wamsley struck out.
Austin Gear hammered the ball into center field for a double and the throw to third base went awry hitting a player sitting on a bucket by the dugout causing an out of play situation sending the Bulldogs runner home for a 4-0 lead despite a challenge by the Yellow Jackets.
A flyout ended the side and sending Moorefield to the plate.
Moorefield’s Ben Watts was beaned and stole second base, then advanced on a dropped third strike by Zeke Eye thrown out at first base.
Baldwin recorded an RBI groundout as the Yellow Jackets cut the deficit to 4-1, then Drennan struck out Greenwalt.
The Bulldogs started the fourth inning with a walk, then Baldwin tossed a strikeout and the defense created a fielder’s choice out.
Baldwin issued another walk and countered with a strikeout to retire the side,
Drennen induced consecutive groundouts by Crites and Snyder then hit Abreu with a pitch before closing the inning with a full-count strikeout to Flinn.
Baldwin walked Teter to begin the fifth inning, then Tygarts Valley’s Wamsley hit a bloop single over the shortstop.
The Yellow Jackets defense collected a groundout and fired to home plate catch a base runner stealing as Crites made the tag and Baldwin closed the side with a strikeout.
Kump and Watts drew free passes, but the Bulldogs countered with three straight strikeouts by Drennen.
Baldwin induced a groundout and recorded his ninth strikeout in the top of the sixth inning.
Tygarts Valley got on base with a single by Drennen into left field and was stranded on a groundout fielded by Baldwin.
Crites reached base on an error, then Snyder hit into a fielder’s choice out and got to first base just in time to avoid a double play.
Abreu was beaned, but the Yellow Jackets stranded the runners as Flinn and Kump struck out.
Tygarts Valley’s Moore was given a walk to start the seventh inning, then Teter flew out.
Moorefield’s Zeke Eye came in to pitch and allowed a single blooper into left field by Wamsley and miscommunication on getting the ball back to the pitcher provided time for Moore to reach third base.
An error off the bat of Gear created a 5-1 edge for the Bulldogs.
Ian Harris put Tygarts Valley up 6-1 with an RBI groundout with a safe slide home.
Watts was hit by a pitch, then a brilliant save by the second baseman developed into an error as Eye got on base for the Yellow Jackets.
Baldwin crushed an RBI single into center field to close the gap to 6-2
Greenwalt struck out, then Crites hit into a fielder’s choice at third base and the first game ended on a strikeout to Flinn.
The Bulldogs started the second game with a 3-0 lead in the first inning beginning with a double by Drennen off Moorefield pitcher Kail Greenwalt.
Greenwalt induced a groundout and jammed the next batter for a pop-up.
Teter crushed an RBI double into right field, then Wamsley executed an inside-the-park home run for the 3-nil edge.
Moorefield responded with one run in the bottom of the first inning, then created five more runs in the second inning for a 6-3 advantage.
Oliver Crites belted a double into left field with two outs in the first inning for the Yellow Jackets.
Moorefield’s Ben Watts broke out of a slump by hammering an RBI triple into center field, 3-1.
Moorefield center fielder Holden Crites made an overhead catch at the fence to start the second inning, then, Baldwin caught a pop-up and Greenwalt struck out Drennen as the Bulldogs went down in order.
The Yellow Jackets started a rally in the second inning with three consecutive singles to load the bases by Gage Wolfe, Cyrus Kump and Caleb Flinn.
After a strikeout to Holden Crites, Moorefield’s Trevor Baldwin delivered a two-run producing single on a sharp grounder into center field to tie the game, 3-all.
Greenwalt was hit by a pitch to load the bases again.
Oliver Crites smashed a bases clearing double for a 6-3 lead.
Watts hit a deep shot into left field which was caught, then Snyder singled and the runners were left aboard as Ian Harris struck out Wolfe.
The Bulldogs regained the lead in the third inning 8-6 as Moore hit an RBI single, Wamsley garnered an RBI triple Harris executed an RBI groundout and Avery Row-Sponaugle hit an RBI triple and scored on an error.
Moorefield answered with two runs to tie the game at 8-all in the bottom of the third inning.
Kump, Flinn and Holden Crites hit consecutive singles to load the bases, then Baldwin hit into a fielder’s choice out at home.
Greenwlat plated one run on a fielder’s choice out at second base.
Oliver Crites created the game-tying run with the help of an error sending Holden Crites home.
Tygarts Valley pitcher Jacob Wamsley got out of the jam with a strikeout to Watts.
Drennen doubled in the fourth inning and was stranded on three defensive plays as the Bulldogs came up empty.
Snyder doubled for the Yellow Jackets, then Wamsley tossed two strikeouts to Wolfe and Kump before issuing a walk to Flinn and the runners were left on the pond with a strikeout to Holden Crites.
Row-Sponaugle created an RBI double in the fifth inning to put the Bulldogs up 9-8, then Snyder ended the side with a strikeout.
Baldwin drew a walk, then Greenwalt grounded out and Oliver Crites struck out before Baldwin was caught stealing third base.
Moore recorded an RBI single in the sixth inning to extend the Bulldogs lead.
Tygarts Valley’s Wamsley crushed a two-run home run for a 12-8 advantage.
Snyder ended the side with a strikeout.
Watts was hit by a pitch then Snyder singled in the bottom of the sixth inning for the Yellow Jackets.
Moorefield tacked on one run as Wolfe created an RBI groundout, 12-9.
Wamsley closed the inning with back-to-back strikeouts.
The Bulldogs chomped eight more runs with two errors and four singles and a double.
Mooreifeld loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh inning with two errors (Oliver Crites and Holden Crites) sandwiching a single by Greenwalt with one out, but failed to score on a strikeout and fielder’s choice out to close the game with the Bulldogs sealing the 20-9 victory.
“I thought our pitchers threw a lot of strikes and pitched well. Our defense is getting a whole lot better as we play more games and better competition. It has been a whole lot better. The pitchers are throwing better and we are getting a lot of big hits. It is all starting to come together for us,” Moorefield coach Wade Armentrout concluded.
