KINGWOOD — With no seniors on the roster, the Preston High baseball team was going to have to play nearly perfectly on Thursday against experienced University High.
The Knights (6-12) instead showed their youth as they committed seven errors and dropped a 19-5 contest to the Hawks (15-8).
“It’s been a very strange year,” Preston head coach Glenn McNew said. “We don’t have a senior on the roster and just three juniors. We have really been in every game this year except this one. We just need to grow up a little quicker. A couple untimely errors against a good team like this and you’re in trouble.”
Trouble began early for Preston as the Hawks sent 10 batters to the plate in the second inning as they scored four runs on just one hit and were aided by four errors. Joshua Smolkin had an RBI single in the inning while UHS also drew two walks and had a batter hit by a pitch.
“Like I say, if you put the ball in play, you have a chance for good things to happen,” UHS head coach Brad Comport said. “When you run hard all the time it ends up putting pressure on teams and then you get a timely hit, and you know it all works out. I’m really happy with how we finished after a bit of slow start.”
Preston did cut the lead to 4-1 in the bottom of the second inning when Brady McNew drew a bases-loaded walk that scored Lance Snyder. That was as close as Preston would come to the Hawks who have now won nine straight games.
University scored two runs in the third inning as Park Croyle hit an RBI infield single and Smolkin, who finished with three RBIs, added a sacrifice fly. The Hawks tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning when Jake Croston was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Jett Walters added a RBI sacrifice fly.
The big inning came in the fifth as UHS sent 17 hitters to the plate and scored 11 runs.
“We just want to continue to improve,” Comport said. “We are still working on fundamental baseball. We are trying to play mistake-free baseball and just really control the things that we’re able to control. I thought for the most part, we did a good job of that today.”
UHS had 10 hits in the big inning with Wenkai Campbell slugging an RBI triple and an RBI single. Cody Thomas, Croston, Brodee Latocha, Noah Braham, and Smolkin each had an RBI single in the frame.
Levi Boyd pitched the first two and one third innings to pick up the victory as he struck out three and allowed just two hits. Tyler Furbee and Campbell finished the game off on the mound.
Jackson Turner took the loss on the mound for PHS as he lasted two innings before giving way to Brady McNew and Robbie Lowe.
UHS finished with seven players with two hits while Lowe led the Knights with two hits.
The Hawks return to action today when they play Shaler (Pa.) 7 p.m. at Mon County Ballpark. Preston will host Trinity Christian School at 6 p.m. Monday.
Box score
UNIVERSITY 19, PRESTON 5
UHS – Latocha 5 2 2 1, Thomas 4 2 2 1, Braham 5 2 2 1, Campbell 3 3 2 2, Templeton 3 3 2 0, McDonough 1 1 1 0, Croston 2 2 1 2, Vance 1 0 0 0, Walters 1 1 0 1, Croyle 3 2 2 1, Smolkin 3 3 2 3. Totals 31 19 15 12.
PHS – McNew 1 0 1 1, Lowe 4 0 2 0, Chaney 2 0 0 0, Manko 2 1 0 0, McVicker 2 1 0 0, Snyder 1 1 1 0, Peaslee 0 1 0 0, Adams 2 0 1 1, Wharton 2 1 0 1, Turner 1 0 0 0, Ward 1 0 0 0, Sanders 1 0 1 1. Totals 19 5 6 4.
UHS 042 2(11) – 19 15 1
PHS 010 04 – 5 6 7
3B – UHS: Campbell
2B – UHS: Templeton
WP – Boyd 2.1ip 2h 1r 1er 8bb 3k
LP – Turner 2ip 3h 6r 2er 3bb 0k
— Story by Eric Herter
