LOST CREEK, W.Va. — Senior Layton Wageman tossed five strong innings and he drove in four runs as South Harrison defeated Williamstown, 6-1 in a rematch of a semifinal matchup from last year’s Little Kanawha Conference Tournament.
Wageman struck out nine batters, allowed three hits and did not allow a walk for the Hawks. He also went 3-for-3 at the plate while driving in at least one run in each at bat.
“We don’t make any bones about it, Layton is our number one guy that we roll out there,” said South Harrison head coach Frank Tate. “He was just on. He felt good. Then at the plate, he was just stroking. He has worked hard to try to get that swing down.”
Wageman’s RBI double opened the scoring for the Hawks in the bottom of the first. Williamstown answered in the top of the second when Tyler Keiser sent Parker Schramm home with a run-scoring single.
Wageman drove in the Hawks’ next three runs with a single in the third and another single in the fifth to give SHHS a 4-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Brogan Medina hit a solo home run into the wind to start a two-run frame for the Hawks.
“I am so happy for Brogan because Brogan grinds. He caught every game last year for us as a freshman. He works hard at the craft. He is such an underrated defender. That’s the thing I love watching about him. I am an old catcher so I take a little pride in that.”
Seth Gain tossed a pair of scoreless innings for South Harrison. Four of the six outs he recorded came by way of strikeout.
The Hawks are 4-0 after opening up the season with wins over Tyler Consolidated, Calhoun County and Robert C. Byrd.
“It is game four. I told the kids to enjoy this game tonight but we’ve got practice tomorrow and we’ll come back with our nose to the grindstone and we’ve got to play Doddridge on Thursday. Then we’ll play Wahama in a doubleheader on Saturday,” Tate said.
“The biggest thing I told the kids that I liked is that we are playing pretty clean. When you don’t give good teams extra outs, you make it a little bit difficult for them. We made one error tonight and we have only made three errors in four games. That’s a big key to it.”
Williamstown (1-1) starting pitcher Wyatt Siley allowed two runs in three innings.