From Staff Reports
SHORT GAP, W.Va. — Offense was in control early but pitching took over in the late innings as Mountain Ridge knocked off Frankfort 5-3 in an early season Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference baseball game Wednesday at Frankfort.
The Miners (2-0 overall, 2-0 AMAC) scored a run in the first and two more in the third before getting their final two runs in the top of the third. Frankfort scored all three of its runs in the third.
Mountain Ridge got a pair of runs batted in from a Cody Hovatter triple, and Russell Knieriem slapped a two-run single. John Richards had a run-scoring single in the first inning.
Leading Frankfort was Jeff Conley with an RBI triple and a run scored. Aaron Lehman contributed an RBI single, and Dalton Brown doubled. Corey Patterson had two singles and an RBI.
The Falcons loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth, but Josh Neilson got the Miners out of the jam and pitched a clean ninth to preserve the victory.
Mountain Ridge plays its first home game against Northern on Friday. Frankfort (1-3, 0-2) will host the Huskies today at 4:30.
Bishop Walsh 10
Fort Hill 3
CUMBERLAND — Aaron O’Rourke fired a complete game, brother Connor O’Rourke had three hits, and freshman Kevin Myers ripped a grand slam in the seventh inning to cap Bishop Walsh’s season-opening win over Fort Hill Tuesday at Legion Field.
Aaron O’Rourke threw 112 pitches, 80 for strikes, in going the distance. He scattered nine hits, did not allow an earned run, struck out nine and walked three in the City and Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference game.
Conner O’Rourke hit a triple and two singles, Jon Cullen had three singles and three RBIs, and Eric Diamond, Dylan Dunn and Aaron O’Rourke two singles for the Spartans, who finished with 14 hits.
Ahead 5-3 through six innings, Myers belted his grand slam over the left-center fence during a five-run seventh inning.
Trevor Korns doubled and singled, and Kody Boyer and Mikey Durr singled twice for Fort Hill.
Bishop Walsh is idle until hosting Frankfort on April 6. Fort Hill (0-3 overall, 0-3 AMAC, 0-1 City) visits Allegany in a 4 o’clock City game on Friday.
Northern 7
Keyser 1
KEYSER, W.Va. — Trey Beasom and Brandon Beachy combined for a two-hitter and 13 strikeouts as Northern opened defense of its area and conference championships with an Appalachian Mountain Athletic Conference win at Tuesday night at Keyser.
Beasom worked the first five innings, allowing both of Keyser’s hits and walking three, but also had nine strikeouts. Beachy recorded four of the final six outs by strikeout.
The Huskies scored four runs in the top of the second, added another run in the fourth and got its final two runs in the fifth inning. Keyser managed its run in the bottom of the second.
Dan Warnick led Northern with a double, an RBI single in the fifth and another single. Matt Watson finished with a double and a single, and Thomas Holtschneider had a two-run single in the four-run second.
Teddy Linton added an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Maverick Nelson and Chris Halbritter had singles to account for Keyser’s hits. Cody Spotts had five strikeouts in relief. Nelson recorded two as the starter.
Northern plays at Frankfort today at 4:30. Keyser (1-2) will host Tucker this evening at 6 o’clock.
Petersburg 10
Tucker County 6
PETERSBURG, W.Va. — Ronnie Loy went 3-for-4 with three RBIs to help lead Petersburg past Tucker County.
Loy was part of a rally that led the Vikings to eight runs over the third and fourth innings. Chase Feaster contributed two hits with one RBI.
For Tucker, Corey McWilliams and Brendan Miller had two hits.
Both teams suffered in the field with Petersburg having five errors and Tucker County seven.
On Tuesday, Petersburg throttled Tygarts Valley, 14-2.
Ryan Wratchford hit a double and a single, drove in two runs and stole three bases. Eric Phares had three RBIs with a double and a single, and Jesse Goldizen had two hits and two RBIs. Hunter Warner had a a single and two RBIs and Chase Feaster had an RBI single.
Petersburg (2-1) hosts East Hardy on Friday at 5 o’clock.
Paw Paw 11
Union 2
PAW PAW, W.Va. — Paw Paw opened its season with a complete-game three-hitter by Nick Corbett and by knocking out 19 hits in defeating Union.
Corbett scattered three singles, struck out eight and walked four in getting the win for the Pirates. He also had a big game at the plate, doubling, singling twice and knocking in four runs. Chris Kendall had just as much such success at the plate, doubling, singling twice and knocking in four.
The Pirates, who jumped out to a 6-1 lead after two, also received a double, single and an RBI from Dylan Rowzee and two singles from Frankie Robinette.
Paw Paw will play today, 3:30 p.m., at Mount View, Va. Union (0-2) will visit Turkeyfoot, Pa., on Friday.
