PETERSBURG, W.Va. — A four-run first inning and an impressive pitching performance from Kale Wolfe led No. 4 Philip Barbour to a 6-1 win at No. 2 Petersburg. The win gives the Colts a leg up for the top seed in the upcoming Class AA Region II tournament.
In a quickly-moving game that took just 93 minutes to complete, Wolfe filled up the strike zone in a complete game victory. He allowed four hits, walked two batters and struck out five.
“He throws a lot of strikes. He mixes his pitches up well,” said Philip Barbour head coach Jonathon Carpenter. “He can throw any pitch in any count. As a hitter, you always have to be thinking what is coming rather than just reacting. He threw a heck of a ball game.”
Wolfe also started a pair of double plays in the second and sixth innings.
“We have the right people in the right places for him to make a play with the bunt in the air and the double play ball. A lot of high school teams might not be in the right spot to make that play. But we were tonight.”
Philip Barbour (13-2) collected four of their six hits in the first inning. Landyn Carpenter’s run-scoring single was followed by a Kent Rowan two-run double and a run-scoring single from Anthony Mosesso.
“They are an absolutely phenomenal baseball team. We knew we had to come and hit good pitches. To be able to set the tone early made a big difference.”
The Colts added two runs in the third to build a 6-0 lead. Mosesso hit a sacrifice fly and Robbie Jones delivered an RBI single on the very next pitch.
Petersburg (11-2) scored their lone run in the bottom of the third when Payton Metheny escaped a rundown while being caught between third base and home plate.
After struggling in the first inning, Peyton Tingler settled in on the mound for the Vikings. He went the distance while allowing six hits. Three of the six runs against him were earned.
Petersburg has dropped two of their last three games after a 10-0 start to the season. The Colts have won five consecutive games.
“We knew we were going to have a chance,” Carpenter said. “We’re going up and down like a roller coaster. But we’ve kind of settled in here lately and we’re starting to play pretty good baseball.”