Prep Baseball Report

Game Recaps: Championship Saturday



By Greg Williams
WV Director of Scouting

Championship Saturday was highlighted by a 10 inning marathon followed by two games dominated by pitching. Following is a recap of all three championship games.


Man 12, Notre Dame 10 (Class A)

A game that lasted 3 1/2 hours, involved 22 runs scored and 29 hits ended with Man topping Notre Dame in 10 innings for the Class A State Championship.

Man scored six runs in the 4th and 5th innings to take a 7-4 lead only to see Notre Dame rally with two runs in the 6th and a game tying run in the 7th to push the game to extra frames.

The Hillbillies seemingly had put the game away with a five run 10th inning that gave them a comfortable 12-7 lead moving to the bottom of the 10th. The Irish, PBR's preseason No. 1 team in Class A, battled to the very end plating three runs while bringing the potential winning run to the plate. Jordan Miller's line drive to center field put an end to the 10 inning marathon and ignited a celebration from the Man faithful.

Man 2014 catcher Cayce Mullins led all hitters going 4-for-6 with a double and an RBI. Notre Dame was led by DJ Murphy who had four hits, including a double, in five trips with three RBI.


Hurricane 9, Riverside 2 (Class AAA)

The Redskins put nine runs on the board to win the Class 3A State Championship going away, but the story of the day was the complete game effort of 2014 RHP Austin Hensley.

The WVU football recruit surrendered an unearned run on two hits in the top of the first inning and then went to work. Hensley allowed one hit the rest of the way while finishing the day with eight strikeouts and two unearned runs allowed.

Hurricane, PBR's preseason No. 1 team in Class AAA, scored at least one run in every at bat with the exception of the 5th inning.


Bridgeport 5, Independence 2 (class AA)

Bridgeport, preseason No. 3 in the PBR rankings, scored five unanswered runs in the 4th, 5th and 6th innings to take home the Class AA State Championship.

Independence, PBR's No. 1 ranked team in Class AA to start the season, travels home from Charleston for a 2nd year in a row without the coveted title. Things looked promising for the Patriots early. Two Brian Sexton doubles in the 1st and 3rd innings led to an early 2-0 Patriots lead. From that point Bridgeport went to work scoring runs and 2016 LHP Logan Smith limited Independence to a one out 6th inning double by Brad Huffman the rest of the way.

Smith went the distance with eight strikeouts to give his teammates an opportunity to rally. Three runs on four hits in the 4th inning staked the Indians to their first lead, while single runs in the 5th and 6th extended the lead and gave Smith some breathing room. Tyler Skidmore and Dante Bonamico led the Bridgeport offense with two hits each.


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