LOST CREEK, W.Va. — Three multi-run innings and a shutout from junior pitcher Layton Wageman have the South Harrison Hawks in position to advance to the regional round of the Class A playoffs. The Hawks defeated Tygarts Valley, 7-0 in the winners bracket final of the Class A Region II, Section 1 Tournament.
“You get a couple days off. We’re still going to practice. But at the same time, we are not in those high-stress, high-level situations,” said South Harrison head coach Frank Tate. “We didn’t get to this point last year. We got put in the losers bracket last year and had to fight our way out. So it is always nice to get to that championship game where someone has to beat you twice.”
Wageman needed just 94 pitches to post the complete game victory. He allowed just four hits, did not walk a batter and he struck out ten. Wageman retired the last ten batters he faced.
“Anytime he goes on the mound, we have a chance to win. He gave up a triple right there off the bat. He bore down and that’s where he ended up. I have the utmost faith in him when he is out there,” Tate said.
“His curveball wasn’t working for about the first four innings. He just couldn’t get a feel for it. Then it started working.”
The Hawks (22-11) broke open a scoreless stalemate with a three-run third inning. South added two more runs in the fifth and sixth innings to break the game open.
“We played really clean, for the most part, behind [Wageman]. We had two huge two-out hits that ballooned the lead from three to five. We talked about it all year, situational hitting. You can make an out and still do something productive, get the runners home when you have to. Both Corey [Saltis] and Layton came through with two huge hits with two outs.”
Dane Tate led the Hawks at the plate. He went 3-for-3 with two doubles, three runs batted in and a walk.
“He takes after his old man. He works hard. I’m going to give a shutout to our assistant principal. He worked with him a little bit today. Adam Belcastro got him locked in. Every time Adam works with the kids, they get locked in.”
Wageman added two hits for the Hawks. Gabe Ferrell reached base four times and scored twice.
South Harrison will host the opening game of the sectional championship round Saturday at 1 p.m. They need just one win in two games to advance to regionals.
“We are knocking on the door of the school record for wins that we accomplished [in 2021]. I told them that the sky is the limit for them. We have been Jekyll and Hyde at times this year. But we have played our best baseball I think in the last couple games.”
Tygarts Valley (16-7-1) will host an elimination game Friday. They will face the winner of Thursday’s Trinity-Doddridge County game.
Jaxon Drennen, Kendall Armstrong, Austin Teter and Jacob Wamsley collected base hits for the Bulldogs. Starting pitcher Adam Woods allowed three runs [two earned] in three innings.