By Stephen Smoot
During the regular season, Pendleton County and Moorefield battled. The Wildcats took the first game 8-3. Only three weeks ago, however, the Yellow Jackets built a huge lead but then had to hold off a late inning charge to escape with the win. Both teams’ bats bashed the opposing team’s pitching with a final in eight innings of 13-10.
That result led to the game that happened last week as seemingly the least likely outcome.
The teams competed on a perfect evening for spring sports. Sunny blue skies, almost no breeze, and comfortable temperatures in the low 80s greeted the game.
Moorefield set the first three batters, Allden Rexrode, Chase Owens, and James Vincell, down quickly in the top of the first.
Owens then took the mound and dealt one of the best games of his career.
In the bottom of the first, his one ball and one strike pitch was well hit by the leadoff batter into centerfield. Josiah Kimble sprinted in from his position and leapt to secure the out, one of several impressive defensive plays in the contest.
The defense also took care of the other two outs.
Cam Beachler led off the top of the second with a line drive single down the left field line. Two batters later, Dillon Smith connected on the first pitch, driving the ball deep in the outfield for a stand up double and a run batted in.
From this point on, Moorefield pitched shutout baseball.
A Yellow Jacket batter singled to start the bottom of the second. The subsequent batter then hit the ball to short. Beachler, playing shortstop, fired the ball to the second baseman Caleb Armentrout who relayed it to first to attempt the double play. Although the throw to first failed to beat the runner, the initial baserunner’s failure to slide into second (a safety rule) caused the umpires to call both out.
The Moorefield coach spent time disputing the call, but to no avail. His team’s next batter singled, but Owens struck out the last out of the inning.
Wildcat defensive players made smart decisions all night. Time and time again, they dulled Moorefield momentum by throwing out the lead runner at second, keeping runners out of scoring position most of the evening.
Moorefield’s initial batter in the bottom of the third inning hit a towering fly ball into right field. The breeze caught it, forcing an adjustment that resulted in the ball being safely caught. Later in the inning, the Yellow Jackets earned a double off of the left field wall, but Owens got the last out of the inning on a harmless pop up.
In the top of the next inning, Beachler hit a ground ball through the middle. Armentrout moved him into scoring position with a well-executed bunt, but the next batters could not advance him.
Owens had some light trouble in the bottom of the fourth, but outstanding defensive play came to his aid. He walked the first batter on seven pitches, but the next batter hit the ball directly back to Owens. The pitcher wheeled and secured the out at second base for the first out.
To the frustration of all Moorefield partisans, the very next batter grounded to Beachler, whose throw got the lead runner at second once again.
Moorefield’s final out of the inning came when the batter hit the ball directly to second, eliminating the middle man, and resulting in the conclusion of the fourth inning.
Dillon Smith led off the top of the fifth legging out a slow roller tapped toward third. Two batters later, his brother, Dusty Smith, moved him to third on a sacrifice, but a strikeout of the next batter ended the inning.
Moorefield got their first runner on in the bottom of the frame via an error, but the next hitter’s bunt attempt led to the lead runner, once again, being thrown out at second. The remaining baserunner at first tried to steal second, but could not beat a quick reaction and throw by Vincell. Owens then struck out the hitter to end the inning.
Another threat emerged in the bottom of the sixth as the Yellow Jackets got a one out single to centerfield. Then the familiar refrain replayed as a ground ball to second got the lead runner out.
Owens remained in the game to pitch the bottom of the seventh, clinging to that single run scored in the second with the lead unchanged since. He wasted no time, getting the first batter to strike out on three pitches. The second batter repeated the result precisely.
He then dispatched the third out on three pitches, but this time with an assist from the centerfielder.
The Wildcats traveled next to state single A power East Hardy. They took a 12-2 loss, but remained alive, playing against Petersburg in Franklin on Monday due to the rain affected schedule.
