BECKLEY – The nightcap on day one at the 2026 West Virginia American Legion Baseball State Tournament in Beckley saw quite the pitchers’ duel as the hosting Beckley Bash defeated Morgantown Post 2 1-0 on Thursday.
Morgantown’s James Bryner and Beckley’s Sam Barnett both produced strong performances on the bump for their teams.
Barnett threw 6.2 shutout innings in 79 pitches on seven hits. Bryner matched with 6.0 innings himself with five hits and the single run, which was unearned after an error in the outfield on the final play of the contest.
Each team had multiple chances to plate the opening run of the game, but Bryner and Barnett were equal to the task each time their number was called.
“Both pitchers were tremendous; that was an absolute pitcher’s duel,” Post 2 coach Andy Altemus said. “We executed our plan and put pressure on them, but the ball didn’t fall when we needed it to, and the same thing happened for them. That’s just baseball.”
Despite the one-run affair, the two sides combined for 12 hits, with Morgantown earning seven of those. Kai Henkins and Berrett Shuba each earned a pair of knocks to lead Post 2.
With the defeat, Post 2 will face Potomac Valley Post 64 in an elimination game on Friday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.
Beckley will play Wheeling Post 1 at 7:00 p.m.
BOX SCORE
Beckley Bash Post 32 1, Morgantown Post 2 0
MORG 000 000 0 – 0 7 1
BECK 000 000 1 – 1 5 0
Morgantown Post 2 – Henkins 4020 Jenkins 3000 Williams 4010 Velickoff 3010 Boggs 3010 Watson 2000 King 3000 Waldo 3000 Shuba 3020 TOTALS 28 0 7 0
Beckley Post 32 – Sims 3000 Tolliver 3000 Williams 3010 Smyth 3010 Williams 0000 Cochran 2000 Hunt 3120 Hines 2010 Lynch 2000 TOTALS 21 1 5 0
W: Barnett 6.2ip 7h 0er 1bb 4k
L: Bryner 6.0ip 5h 1r 2bb 2k
