CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Brad Davis threw a four-hit shutout as Class AAA defending state champion Jefferson defeated Wheeling Park 5-0 in a state semifinal matchup from Appalachian Power Park.
“It was a good team effort today,” Davis said. “We had 13 hits and put the ball in play. Our guys made plays behind me and that’s what we needed to win.”
Davis finished with six strikeouts and surrendered no walks in the complete game effort.
“Everything was working for me today,” Davis said. “Usually there is one pitch that I can’t get down. My changeup did get a little iffy as the game went on, but I got it back in the last couple of innings and it all worked out well.”
The Cougars (35-3) took a 2-0 lead with runs in the first and third, both of those sacrifice flies from Austin Bulman. Cameron Alvarez scored in the first, with Witt crossing the plate in the third.
“You always have to do the little things,” Witt said. “It’s fundamentals that win baseball games. We’re also very confident (when Davis is on the mound). He’s experienced, our senior pitcher and he’s well developed.”
An RBI single from Bulman in the seventh scored Alvarez again, the first of three runs in the inning for the Cougars to essentially put the game away. Witt finished the day 3 for 4 with a triple and two runs scored, while Charlie Barnholt added three hits and a double as well.
“We hit the ball well today, but I would have liked to have seen a few more runs than that going into the seventh inning,” said Jefferson coach John Lowery. “We didn’t really string a bunch of those hits together.”
Davis threw just 82 pitches in the more-than efficient effort, but the Cougars held just that two-run lead going into the final inning.
“You still feel confident in Brad (Davis) at that point, but in this ballpark, a shot in the gap could score one of the runs and put the other in scoring position,” Lowery said. “No lead is safe, (so we needed) those extra runs in the seventh inning.”
Wheeling Park starter Jub Delbrugge went three innings on the mound, giving up two runs (one earned) on seven hits, while Austin Crebs threw four innings of relief, surrendering three runs on six hits.
The Patriots (14-13) were making their third straight state tournament appearance with all of them resulting in tough semifinal losses.
“You just have to battle to the end and we battled. We put up a good fight, but we couldn’t figure (Brad) Davis out,” McLeod said. “He’s 11-0 for a reason, so you tip your hat to him and Jefferson. Hopefully one day we’ll get to that level, we’re working pretty hard at it.”
Jefferson moves on to face the Nitro-Ripley winner in Saturday’s Class AAA state championship. The Cougars will be going for a 12th baseball title overall as Austin Cross (9-1, 0.57 ERA) will get the start.
“It’s going to feel great,” Davis said. “I have confidence in our team that we will hit and I have confidence in our team that Austin (Cross) will throw strikes. If he struggles, we always have people who can come in and back him up.”