CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The stage was anything but too big for Charleston Catholic freshman Jonah DiCocco.
Entrusted by first-year Irish head coach Will Bobinger to limit an explosive Williamstown offense, DiCocco did just that, tossing a complete game six-hitter with nine strikeouts to key the Irish to a 7-4 victory over the Yellowjackets in a Class A semifinal at Appalachian Power Park.
“Jonah is a very polished pitcher,” Bobinger said. “We charted them the two games that we played them, so we had an idea of their tendencies. We tried to keep them off balance with our pitch selection and Jonah is good enough that he can throw those pitches where he needs to. If you keep anybody off balanced, you have a shot to get them out, and he was lucky enough to do so.”
The win allows No. 4 Charleston Catholic (17-19) to play in Saturday’s Class A final against the winner of No. 2 Wahama/No. 3 Moorefield. The Irish will be in pursuit of their third state championship and first since 2017 — the last time Moorefield wasn’t the Class A champion.
Were it not for DiCocco continuing to display poise well beyond his years, the opportunity likely wouldn’t have come about.
“It’s amazing that I got to pitch on this field in this moment as a freshman,” DiCocco said.
He held the No. 1 Yellowjackets (27-7) scoreless the first two innings and allowed only one hit — a Maxwell Molessa single — over that time.
When the Irish came to bat in the top of the third, WHS starter Chase Barkley retired the first two batters before Gage Tawney’s double to left field. DiCocco then sent a ground ball to second base that looked as though it would result in the final out of the inning, before it was misplayed and allowed the Irish to station runners at the corners.
CCHS took full advantage when Michael Ferrell and Gannon Morris followed with a run-scoring single and RBI double, respectively, to give the Irish a 2-0 advantage.
“On routine balls, we have to make plays,” Williamstown head coach Levi Maxwell said. “That’s how you win.”
DiCocco yielded a two-out triple to Molessa in the home half of the third, but escaped unharmed when he got Ty Ott to bounce out to second.
Barkley retired the side in order with three strikeouts in the fourth and it ignited the Yellowjackets when they came to the plate that inning.
With Parker Schramm on first and one out, Harbor Haught sent a bunt back to DiCocco, who fielded it, but threw the ball away, allowing Schramm to score and Haught to get to second base.
Barkley followed with a bunt of his own that was fielded by first baseman Tyler Brown, who sailed the throw high and into right field, bringing Haught home with the tying run.
“We cannot afford to do that tomorrow,” Bobinger said. “We’ll talk a little bit about our defense, the approach we took at the plate and relax and see who we get to play.”
The Yellowjackets would’ve had a better chance at their first lead of the contest later that inning were it not for pinch runner Vincent Scalzo being thrown out at second on an attempted stolen base.
The Irish put together the best and most important offensive inning in a five-run fifth. A leadoff single from Luke Blaydes set the tone for the frame, as did an error on Tawney’s sacrifice bunt that allowed Catholic’s first two batters to reach.
DiCocco followed with the first of three consecutive run-scoring singles, with Ferrell and Morris providing the other two. Later in the inning, Hayden Carringer connected for a single that made it 6-2, and the Irish produced their final run on Brown’s groundout to second that allowed Jeff Reynolds to score.
“We were able to make some hard contact and do what we needed to do,” Bobinger said. “We don’t do that too often, but it was a very good inning for us.”
(Postgame “Round of Sound”)
Williamstown got back in the game in the sixth when a throwing error allowed Schramm and Luke Ankrom to score, while Haught got to third with no outs on the play.
However, with Barkley in the batter’s box, Haught broke for the plate after one of DiCocco’s pitches got away slightly, only for Tawney, the catcher, to get to the ball in time and fire to DiCocco, who applied the tag before Haught could score for the first out of the inning.
Barkley followed with a single that proved inconsequential as DiCocco retired the next two batters, before the freshman finished off the complete game by retiring the top of Williamstown’s lineup in order in the seventh.
“For whatever reason, we haven’t executed in these big games and big situations,” Maxwell said. “I know we have some young guys this year, but it’s not an excuse. We got outplayed today. DiCocco pitched his butt off and it was tough. We have to make plays when they’re hit at us. All the younger kids, having this experience is helpful to see this stage and what it’s going to actually take to win a semifinal game.”
DiCocco issued only two walks in the victory and rarely displayed nerves.
“I meditated a little bit this morning before I got here to try and keep myself calm before the game,” he said.
DiCocco, Ferrell and Morris each had two hits to account for all but three Irish hits. Ferrell also drove in a pair of runs.
Barkley took the loss after throwing six innings and allowing seven runs, only three of which were earned. He struck out seven and walked a pair.
Maxwell Molessa had two hits in defeat, while Schramm scored twice.