BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. — Class AA No. 1 Bridgeport seized control of Region 2, Section 1 on Thursday night, beating No. 3 Elkins 6-3 in a winners’ bracket contest.
“Our bottom of the order carried us tonight and that’s huge,” said Bridgeport coach Robert Shields. “We held (Elkins) to three runs and they’re a very, very good baseball team.
“Elkins has a storied baseball program all the way up through their leagues, too,” Shields said. “These kids know each other and they’ve played each other through their younger years and through legion.
“Between the rain delay (earlier this year), they were hanging out with each other and making friends with each other,” he said. “They’re kids — that’s the way it should be. But the rivalry part of it is definitely there.”
Gordon Swiger picked up the complete-game win on the mound for the Indians (23-6), giving up five hits and striking out 10. Offensively, Swiger added a double, an RBI and a run scored.
“That was the funnest win of the year, by far,” Swiger said. “We came out with a lot of energy right off the bat and that was the difference. Even when we got down, our energy was still up and high tempo was a key to this game.”
Ben Huffman took the loss on the mound for the Tigers (16-5).
The win for Bridgeport avenged a 1-0 regular season loss to Elkins and catapulted the Indians into the sectional championship where they will await their opponent – potentially another round with the Tigers.
“That (regular season loss to Elkins) added some spice to this game,” Swiger said. “Pretty much my entire career here at Bridgeport we’ve stayed ahead in the sectionals and it has been a huge factor – it keeps your confidence up and your energy up.”