PHILIPPI, W.Va. — In Monday’s Class AA Region II series opener, Philip Barbour let a winnable game go to waste in a 4-3 loss at Herbert Hoover.
The Colts had no time to dwell on the disappointment as they welcomed the Huskies on Tuesday looking to avoid elimination.
Thanks in large part to the right arm of Albert Gonzales, Philip Barbour did just that.
Gonzales allowed his only two hits and lone run in the first inning, then provided a much-needed dominant effort on the mound with 12 strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings to lift the Colts to a 5-1 victory.
“Albert is very good, and when Albert trusts his stuff and goes at hitters, he can really dominate a game, which is what he did today,” Colts’ head coach Jonathon Carpenter said. “They’re a great team and they put good swings on the ball, but when he’s on, he’s very good.”
The result sends PBHS (17-12) back to Elkview for Game 3 Wednesday with a state tournament berth at stake.
Herbert Hoover (19-12) looked to be on Gonzales early when Brayden Bounds led off with a single and Tristan Harless followed suit two batters later. Gonzales then issued consecutive two-out walks, including one to Sam Lee with the bases loaded that forced in the game’s first run.
But Gonzales followed with a pivotal strikeout of Bryce Grimm to limit the damage, and when he returned to pitch the second inning, the game was tied at 1 after Colts’ No. 3 hitter Landyn Carpenter singled to center to score Kale Wolfe, who reached on an error to start the home half of the first.
“We left the bases loaded in the first inning. We wanted to score runs early and we did, but we had an opportunity to do more than that,” Huskies’ head coach JR Oliver said. “We just didn’t do it.”
Gonzales retired HHHS in order in the second, and the Colts took control in the home half of that frame when Carpenter connected for a bases clearing double to the gap in left-center with two outs.
It allowed PBHS to play from in front the rest of the way, and the Colts had every intention of doing more than remaining competitive in this one.
“We’re young and inexperienced at certain positions, but we have great leadership and that goes to the assistant coaches making sure they’re focused,” coach Carpenter said. “And then it comes back to Albert yet again. He’s the senior who’s been with us for 4 years. He’s the leader and rallies the troops. These guys want to do what’s correct in order to get where they want to get to.”
With the Colts leading 4-1 in the third, two of the first three Huskies to bat in the third reached base, before Gonzales struck out two straight.
Gonzales recorded his seventh strikeout with Bounds at the plate to end the fourth inning and strand Hoover courtesy runner Gabe Blackwell at third.
A two-out single from Tyler Sisson in the bottom of the fourth brought Wolfe home for what proved to be the game’s final run.
Gonzales struck out the side in the fifth and added two more punch outs in the fifth sandwiched around an error. He was removed due to pitch count in favor of Grant Harris, who immediately surrounded a single to Huskies’ pinch-hitter Thomas Hackney.
But with runners at the corners, Harris dug in and continued the strikeout trend by recording one of Jaylen Symns to end the inning.
Harris then worked a perfect seventh, recording one out each on a fly ball, ground ball and strikeout to seal the result.
“People earn their way here and we certainly didn’t expect it to be easy,” Oliver said. “We knew they were a good team. We have to come tomorrow night ready to play. The game is at our place and that’s a positive not having to make that 2-hour plus trip. Tomorrow is a new day. That’s why it’s baseball.”
Carpenter had two hits and drove in four runs.
“In the three hole, that’s his job. Get a good pitch to work with and hit it hard,” coach Carpenter said. “The base-running was good with turns and everybody was aggressive. We were scoring no matter where the ball was hit in the outfield.”
Anthony Mosesso and Slaton Harris added two hits apiece to spark the Colts’ nine-hit effort.
Huskies’ pitcher Riley Johnson took the loss after allowing five runs on nine hits over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.
No Husky had more than one hit with the team managing only one beyond the first inning.
“Fourteen strikeouts is not going to get it done,” Oliver said. “You have to force them to make plays and we didn’t do that tonight.”