MORGANTOWN – Morgantown Post 2 secured the Area 2 title on Thursday night with a grinding 4-3 victory over a scrappy Clarksburg Post 13 squad.
With the win, Post 2 advances to face Parkersburg Post 15 in the WV State American Legion Baseball tournament Thursday at 7:00 p.m. Post 13 will play Wheeling Post 1 in an elimination game at 4 p.m. The state tournament will be hosted by Post 2 at Mylan Park.
It marks Clarksburg Post 13’s first trip to the state tournament since 2008.
Grayson Campbell earned the win for Post 2, going 5 1/3 innings and allowing three runs on three hits, with seven walks and four strikeouts. Tommy Montague recorded two outs without allowing a hit, and Judd Messerly pitched a scoreless seventh to earn the save.
Clarksburg managed just three hits—one each from Bombardiere, Ferrell, and Jovanni Minnocci.
At the plate, Morgantown was led by Brance McCune, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Kane Williams finished 1-for-2, Eli Boggs went 1-for-3 with an RBI, while Daniel Grabo and Sam Watson each added a hit.
Clarksburg struck first, scoring twice in the opening inning. Whiteman walked, Bombardiere singled, and Ferrell’s grounder up the middle scored a run after a throwing error. Ferrell was caught stealing, but Bombardiere dashed home during the rundown to make it 2-0.
Morgantown answered right back. McCune singled to left, Boggs walked, and a sac fly moved both runners up. Montague was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Wolfe drew a walk to make it 2-1.
“They’re so good,” Lehasky said. “You think line drives are going to fall and they’re right there. Their outfield reads the ball well. Their infield is solid. That’s a small college team—they made the plays when they had to.”
Post 2’s defense shined again in the second as Jeffries made a diving catch in shallow center and McCune followed with another sprawling catch in right to complete a 1-2-3 frame.
Watson walked to lead off the bottom half, and pinch runner Logan Waldo advanced on a sac bunt. McCune’s RBI single tied the game at 2-2.
In the fourth, Jeffries walked, advanced to third on a groundout, and scored on Boggs’ RBI single to left. Williams walked, and a double steal advanced both runners. Montague’s bunt resulted in an out at first, but Boggs sprinted home on the throw and slid in safely: 4-2 Post 2.
Post 13 threatened in the sixth inning. Trailing 4-2, Brogan Medina drew a leadoff walk, and Jovanni Minnocci followed with a one-out single to right. A passed ball moved both runners up. Dominico Minnocci walked to load the bases, and a bases-loaded walk to Nate Whiteman cut the deficit to 4-3.
That prompted a pitching change, and as usual, Montague answered the call.
He got the next batter to roll into a 6-4-3 double play that ended the threat and preserved the lead.
“In this tournament, Tommy has been the guy we go to,” Post 2 coach Jacob Goodnight said. “Yesterday, he hit the ball that got us back in it. Today, he pitches out of a jam. The dugout feeds off that. He’s not afraid of big moments.”
Williams added a two-out single in the sixth, but a sharp lineout ended the inning.
Still, the early damage—and Montague’s late relief—was enough to send Post 2 into the state tournament with momentum.
