CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Cabell Midland’s first three batters of the game reached home plate and senior pitcher Jared Nethercutt went the distance on the hill as the Knights defeated St. Albans, 4-1 in the second semifinal of the Mountain State Athletic Conference Tournament.
The second-seeded Knights (18-7) will face Spring Valley (18-8) Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the championship game at GoMart Ballpark.
Nethercutt retired the Red Dragons in order in the first inning and the Knights wasted no time getting on the scoreboard. Their first two batters — Landon Nida and Ray Ray Williams — worked out bases on balls and Kenyon Collins followed with a double to open up the scoring.
“That was very important,” said Cabell Midland head coach Tracy Brumfield. “To get that kind of support early in the game, that kind of relaxes a pitcher a little bit. And getting that fourth run was big in the last inning.”
St. Albans answered with a run in the third inning when Brogan Samms drove in Beau Kelly with a run-scoring single. That would be the only run allowed by Nethercutt. He tossed a 5-hitter while striking out seven batters.
“He has been getting stronger as the year has went on.”
Nida made a pair of sliding catches in center field for the Knights to take away base hits in the third and sixth innings.
“He saved our butts a couple times in the outfield. He almost had another where it popped into his glove and popped out. But he made three or four great plays in the outfield.”
The defending state champion Knights split a pair of regular season meetings with Spring Valley. The Timberwolves defeated George Washington, 12-7 in the opening semifinal.
“It is a goal you want to have every year. You want to go out there and win your conference. You want to win your section, region and you want to win your state. That’s what everybody’s goal is. Coming up tomorrow against Spring Valley, it is going to be a tough game.”
Cade Johnson went 2-for-3 for Midland.
Will Curry was effective in relief of Noah Reed for the Red Dragons (18-6). Curry allowed one run and two hits in three innings. He did not walk a batter and he struck out four.