MORGANTOWN — Despite being out hit by a total of nine to five, the Morgantown Post 2 baseball team earned its biggest victory of the summer. Mayson Jack gave up seven hits and five runs to Bridgeport but certainly kept his team in the game before giving way to Aidan Frombach for a four-out save.
On the last day of June, Post 2 was defeated by Bridgeport 14-11 in a shootout of a game. After that loss, Morgantown sat at 5-11 and really needed to flip a switch and turn the season around.
Now, nearly a month later, head coach Andy Altemus and his players have won the last 11 out of 14 games they’ve played, with the most recent giving them the upper-hand in the Area 2 tournament.
To begin the game, both pitchers and defenses had a decent hold on the opposing batters. No runs were scored in either of the first two innings.
It wasn’t until the top of the third when Jacob Kennell hit a hard line drive into right field for a lead-off double. Despite the next two batters failing to move him over, Zach Brennan would draw a walk, giving the Post 2 DH, Tommy Montague, two runners on base. Kennell was the only player with multiple hits for Post 2 and he also had some crucial plays on defense.
“When our pitchers go out there with good stuff it makes us want to make plays for them,” Kennell said. “We want to do everything for the pitchers first. Make the plays for them, just help them and the team get the win.”
Montague delivered for his team with two outs on a line drive to center field that scored both runs. Morgantown led 2-0 early on.
It wouldn’t be long until that lead would disappear however, as the strong hitting of Bridgeport adjusted to the pitching of Jack. A two-out rally would flip the momentum in favor of Post 68 just as quickly as it had lost the lead.
Anthony Dixon singled with two runners on that scored the first run for his team. Chris Harbert followed Dixon with another single that tied the game. Last but not least, Zach Rohrig drove in the third run for Bridgeport before Post 2 earned the third out. Giving his team a 3-2 lead heading into the fourth inning.
Both team would go scoreless in the fourth, keeping the chess match on the mound going. At one point Jack had thrown only five pitches to get three outs with his defense making all three plays. Putting the ball in play is always something the Post 2 pitchers know they can do with the defense they have behind them.
“I had to adjust at first, but wanted to be accurate and be efficient. Just try not to walk as many people and keep them off of base,” Jack said of his mindset. “It gives me confidence when I come out and trust my teammates and if we stay away from mistakes we will be just fine.”
In the fifth came the big inning for Post 2. Kennell singled and Thomas was walked, making way for Aaron Forbes to hit with two men on and no outs. The former UHS Hawk doubled on a liner to center, scoring Kennell to tie the game. Brennan reached after being hit by a pitch and Montague struck out swinging.
Second baseman Jett Walters battled threw a tough at-bat and eventually drew the go-ahead walk making the game 4-3 for Post 2. Another run would make the lead 5-3 before Bridgeport got the third out on the board.
Three up and three down for Post 68 in the fifth gave Morgantown a little extra boost to finish out the game. One more run in the sixth gave Aidan Frombach a 6-3 cushion as he entered the game to pitch with the bases loaded and two outs.
Anthony Dixon delivered for Bridgeport again, scoring two runs on a single to center field and cutting the lead to just one. Frombach would end the inning on the next batter and send us to the seventh inning.
Post 2 would go down in three straight at-bats, leaving the door slightly open for its opponents. However, Frombach would complete the save and send his team to the Area 2 championship by a final score of 6-5 over Bridgeport Post 68.
Morgantown will advance to play Thursday at 4:00 p.m. against the winner of Bridgeport/Clarksburg. Morgantown Post 2 need to lose two games in order to be eliminated, while only needing one win to secure the Area 2 Championship.
Morgantown Post 2 (16-14)
Kennell 3320 Thomas 3110 Forbes 3112 Brennan 1100 Montague 4012 Walters 3001 Cottle 4000 Croyle 3000 Nealy 3000
Bridgeport Post 68
Paulsen 2210 McDougal 2110 Dixon 3123 Harbert 4011 Rohrig 4031 Mann 2000 Ross 4110 Michaelis 3000 Mcinick 3000
