MORGANTOWN – The Morgantown High School baseball team controlled Wednesday night’s Class AAAA North Region Co-Championship game against Spring Mills wire-to-wire on its way to an 11-3 victory at Dale Miller Field.
The Mohigans became the first team in Class AAAA to secure a berth in next month’s state tournament Wednesday night.
For a program that reached the state championship game a season ago, the latest regional triumph felt less like a breakthrough and more like the continuation of something steadily growing under coach Pat Sherald.
“We try to think of this as a program and not a team,” Sherald said. “It is built up from the ninth grade on up, quite frankly, within the community. We have a great baseball community here. At Morgantown High School, we are working to continue building every year. I feel like every year, we keep stacking a little better, and we keep growing as a program.”
Morgantown (27-5) looked every bit like a seasoned postseason club from the opening pitch.
The Mohigans buried Spring Mills early with a five-run first inning, sending 10 batters to the plate and forcing the Cardinals to play uphill the rest of the evening. Six straight Morgantown hitters reached base in the inning as the Mohigans immediately seized momentum.
It wasn’t just the top of the lineup doing damage either.
No. 6 hitter Jackson Bredeson reached base in all four plate appearances and delivered perhaps the game’s most important performance after taking over on the mound in relief for starter Slade Barton. Kane Williams drove in three runs while Luca Mezzanotte and Kai Henkins each added two RBIs.
“The bottom of our lineup really produced for us today,” Sherald said. “That’s one thing that is a plus with this team. We are athletic 1-through-9, and we can have some really good quality at-bats. If the top of the lineup is not producing quite as much, the bottom of the lineup can come through for you.”
Sherald specifically pointed to Henkins, who continued a strong regional round after a pair of doubles against Wheeling Park on Tuesday.
Morgantown also got an encouraging start from WVU signee Slade Barton, who worked 3 1/3 innings and allowed just three hits before Bredeson entered.
“It was very precautionary,” Sherald said. “He had really good stuff in the beginning innings. With a high-caliber arm, we just wanted to be a little bit cautious.”
That caution didn’t cost the Mohigans a thing thanks to Bredeson.
After Spring Mills trimmed the deficit with a three-run fourth inning, Bredeson settled the game down and recorded the final 11 outs, holding the Cardinals scoreless the rest of the way.
“[Bredeson] has had to do that a couple of times for us this year,” Sherald said. “Obviously, he’s a really good arm for us. He’s extremely versatile. If we had to name an MVP of the game, I think it is definitely Jackson Bredeson for us.”
Jake Anderson homered for Spring Mills (17-13), while Kheelan Curry and Suko Mills each drove in a run. The Cardinals remain alive in the regional bracket.
MHS now has a three-week wait before returning to the field. Sherald said the focus now shifts toward sharpening details before another run at a state title.
“We’ve worked so hard for this,” MHS senior Mason Bowers said. “I love these guys and this senior group. The bond we have as a team on and off the field is unmatched. I think the chemistry on the field comes naturally from the bond that we have. We have to stay locked in the next few weeks and stay ready. We will play a few games to stay tuned up, but we have to treat those like state tournament games and keep our minds where they need to be.”
BOX SCORE
Morgantown 11, Spring Mills 3
SPRN 000 300 0 – 3 8 1
MORG 502 202 X – 11 12 1
Morgantown (27-5) – Gorby 4110 Bowers 1200 Silvers 4111 Nipper 4121 Thornton 2110 Joseph 1110 Bredeson 2322 Williams 3112 Mezzanote 4022 Henkins 2012 TOTALS 27 11 12 10
2B: Bredeson, Williams
3B: Bredeson, Joseph
Spring Mills (17-13) – Mills 3011 Trumpower 3010 Swartz 4010 Anderson 4111 Stanley 3110 Sweeney 3110 Anders 3000 Renner 3010 Curry 2011 TOTALS 28 3 8 3
HR: Anderson
W: Barton 3.1ip 3h 3r 3er 1bb 2k
L: Ward 0.1ip 3h 5r 4bb 0k
