6:00: Morning News

Bridgeport builds early lead, holds off Jefferson for 7-5 victory and spot in Class AAA final

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — If there was any concern over Bridgeport’s ability to contend in Class AAA after notching six consecutive state championships at the AA level, there no longer should be.

The No. 3 Indians scored five runs in the third and two more in the sixth that proved critical in their 7-5 victory over No. 2 Jefferson in Thursday night’s state semifinal at Power Park.

With the victory, Bridgeport (33-4) will face Hurricane at 10 a.m. Saturday in the AAA title game.

“We live to play another day,” BHS coach Robert Shields said. “Moving up to triple-A and playing a team the likes of Jefferson which came back against Washington two out of the three games in the (regional) tournament, I knew they had a chance of coming back. They have some big sticks throughout their lineup. 

“A gutty performance out of (starting pitcher) Chris Harbert and Austin Mann coming on in relief and doing a nice job. We got some timely hits again tonight. We flew out a little too much, but we’re advancing.”

The Indians broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning by scoring five runs on five hits. The offensive surge was aided by a pair of Cougar errors, the first of which came at the plate on Frank Why’s single that brought Cam Cole around from third. Jefferson (27-4) got the ball to catcher Connor Bailey in plenty of time to prevent Cole from scoring, but he couldn’t hang on to the ball, allowing the Tribe to lead 1-0.

BHS then scored four more in the inning with two outs, getting a triple to center field from Nate Paulsen to bring home Why, while the second error of the frame on that play allowed Paulsen to score his team’s third run.

After JD Love’s two-out triple, Aidan Paulsen delivered a sharp single to score courtesy runner Trent Haines. Following a pitching change, Aidan Paulsen scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.

“We had a guy by fifteen feet at home plate and don’t secure the ball,” JHS coach John Lowery said. “That opened up that inning, because we’d have been out of the inning and I don’t think they would have scored a run.”

The Cougars looked as though they’d scored in the bottom half of the inning. However, Regan Allinger’s fly ball to center that originally counted as a sacrifice fly was overturned on an appeal when the umpires ruled Kamien Gonzalez had left third base early.  Video replay indicated otherwise.

“It’s beyond me that they can call a guy out at third for leaving too soon on a ball that’s almost to the warning track,” Lowery said. “I guess it’s best not to get into that, but that was a big call in the game, because it would’ve given us another run and we’d have still had that inning going on.”

But JHS got back into the contest in the fifth, finally getting to Harbert by scoring three runs on three hits. Griffin Horowicz led off with a double, moved to third on a Gonzalez single and scored on Peyton Corwine’s ground ball to short, which resulted in an error that allowed him to reach.

Cullen Horowicz delivered a bases loaded single to bring in another run and Allinger’s sacrifice fly brought home Corwine to make it 5-3.

With runners at second and third, however, Harbert struck out consecutive batters to keep the two-run lead intact.

The Indians immediately answered with two runs to go up by four in the sixth. Cole delivered a run-scoring single to left and Nate Paulsen lifted a sac fly to center that made it 7-3.

“We got out a lot early being out in front and we didn’t sit back and be patient. But they made a good adjustment and that’s what the senior leaders that we have do,” Shields said. “They help on the bench with the kids and they make adjustments and we have to do it one more day.”

Austin Mann relieved Harbert to start the home half of the sixth and found trouble as the Cougars loaded the bases via an error, base-on-balls and a Gonzalez single.

After the first out, Bailey’s groundout to third scored Samuel Wabnitz to make it 7-4.

Postgame ‘Round of Sound’

With runners at second and third, Shields elected to intentionally walk Cullen Horowicz to load the bases. Allinger followed with a single up the middle that scored another run, but Mann indcued an inning-ending fly ball to right from Zac Rose to keep the lead at two runs.

“We got a little bit too relaxed after that big inning and they had a big inning themselves,” Nate Paulsen said. “We kind of turned it on after that and played better defense and started hitting some more balls.”

Mann retired the side in order in the seventh to send Bridgeport to the final.

Cole finished 2-for-2 with a pair of runs, while Why led Bridgeport with three hits. Nate Paulsen had two of the team’s five RBIs.

Gonzalez was 3-for-3 in defeat and keyed Jefferson’s seven-hit attack.

Harbert struck out seven, walked four and allowed three runs in five innings to earn the win.

‘Instant Analysis’ with Greg Carey & Joe Brocato

Riley Vasdasz was the first of four pitchers Jefferson utilized and suffered the loss by allowing five runs in 2 2/3 innings.

“We were getting the ball up early. You can’t pitch above the waist,” Lowery said. “The ball is elevated already and they get two balls over the outfielder’s heads and then we walk the No. 8 hitter and you know they’re pesky at the top of the order.”

Shields and Lowery entered Thursday’s matchup having combined for 20 state championships, with Lowery owning 12 titles. Each of Shields’ previous eight state championships at Bridgeport came at the Class AA level.

“It’s an awesome feeling and a great feat for these kids,” he said of reaching Saturday’s final. “We have one more thing we have to do. To get to the next step, for us to change in this new division, we have to be able to handle this adversity. We did it tonight and now we have to do it on a big stage Saturday morning.”





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