CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A year ago in the Class A title game, Wahama squandered a late one-run lead and fell to Charleston Catholic, 6-5.
The two teams met again Thursday in the second Class A semifinal at GoMart Ballpark, and the White Falcons flipped the script this time around, scoring a 4-1 win over the Irish in 11 innings.
No. 3 Wahama (26-10) advances to face top seed Tyler Consolidated in Saturday’s title game.
“This team wanted this win. Not just getting back to a championship, but facing Catholic last year and down to the last out, it didn’t happen for us,” WHS head coach Billy Zuspan said. “Being able to get it done and get another opportunity to try to put that fifth title in Wahama’s cabinet.”
After dazzling efforts from each starting pitcher, Wahama gained the lead in the top of the eighth. Nathan Manuel reached on the game’s first error and after he advanced to second, Ethan Gray belted a double to left that left the Irish (28-8) trailing 1-0 when they came to bat in the eighth.
Wahama starter Aaron Henry recorded the fifth strikeout of his shutout showing, before having to be replaced by Bryce Zuspan due to reaching the 110-pitch limit.
The White Falcons’ first error allowed DiCocco to reach, though a pop up for the second out left Wahama in position to win. That appeared to be the case when Jeffrey Reynolds lifted a fly ball toward third base that went into foul territory, but was dropped for what would’ve been in the game’s final out. With new life, Catholic capitalized and Reynolds’ walk prolonged the contest.
Gage Tawney followed with a run-scoring single to left that pulled the Irish even and sent the game to the ninth.
Wahama managed a hit in both the ninth and 10th innings, but couldn’t muster another run.
To start the home half of the 10th, Wahama freshman Aden Young surrendered a single to Gannon Morris. With one out, Young issued a base-on-balls to Zaden Ranson.
That put the winning run in scoring position, and Morris attempted to score it when Reynolds followed with a single, only to be thrown out at the plate after left fielder Hayden Lloyd was on the mark.
“That one was on the money,” coach Zuspan said. “We had some good defensive plays all night and the pitching was phenomenal on both sides.”
Young induced a fly ball to left off the bat of Xander Allara for the final out of the 10th, setting the stage for Wahama’s three runs in the next frame.
“They have a tremendous outfield and we knew if we put the ball in the air, we were going to have trouble,” Irish head coach Will Bobinger said. “We hit some pretty good ones, but they got in the air and they have an outfield that covers everything.”
Eli Rickard singled to start the inning off Morris, who had come on for DiCocco after he, too, reached the 110-pitch mark. Young’s sacrifice bunt put the go-ahead run in scoring position, and Zuspan brought it in with a well-placed single that worked its way through the right side, allowing Rickard to score.
Later in the 11th, with two outs, Henry ripped a double that scored Zuspan and Manuel hit a triple to left-center, allowing Henry to score what proved to be the game’s final run.
“It was definitely nice to have a little more cushion going into getting the last three outs,” coach Zuspan said. “Felt a little more comfortable, but those last outs are always hard to get.”
Young hit two batters in Catholic’s half of the 11th, but got DiCocco to hit a liner to left for the game’s final out.
“If you’re a baseball fan, you got your money’s worth tonight,” coach Zuspan said. “Two quality teams that went out there and played really well. We scored a few more runs and we had some timely hits, especially late. We had a lead and gave the lead up, but we finally got the lead we needed and we’re happy to be moving on.”
Henry, who started last season’s title game and had a strong showing before having to be lifted as a result of his pitch count, issued six walks but limited CCHS to one hit.
He was matched by DiCocco, who threw eight frames of three-hit ball, surrendering only the one unearned run. The sophomore walked three and had 12 strikeouts in a no decision.
“When I get an opposing pitcher that’s throwing well, it makes me want to throw even better,” Henry said.
Morris allowed six hits in three innings.
Wahama’s Logan Roach was 2-for-6 and the only player to record more than one hit in.a game that had 13.
“It was a great game,” Bobinger said. “Both teams battled all the way.”