FAIRMONT, W.Va. — Friday’s game between East Fairmont and Wheeling Park featured 13 hits and five of the extra-base variety from both teams along with a total of three frames.
So it was only fitting that the contest was decided on a safety squeeze bunt from the Bees’ Carter McKnight, which drove in River McClain with what amounted to the winning run, sending East Fairmont to an 8-7 triumph against the Patriots and its seventh consecutive victory.
“When you have an upperclassmen group like this, they expect to show up and execute,” East Fairmont coach Joe Price said. “They’re holding each other accountable. We talked about it yesterday, and when 13 guys are playing as one, from a coaching standpoint, it’s really fun to watch. These guys are rolling right now and we hope that momentum continues.”
For as pivotal as it was for McKnight to get down the fourth-inning bunt, his relief pitching was an even bigger factor in the outcome. McKnight spelled McClain on the mound with two outs in the fourth and went on to pitch the final 3.1 innings, while allowing one run on five hits.
“He struggled a little bit at first, but once he got heated up and dialed in, he did a phenomenal job of closing the door,” Price said.
For the first few innings, EFHS (17-7) looked as though it might be on its way to a comfortable win. Owen Music ripped a triple in the Bees’ first at bat and scored seconds later when Kase Linn belted a two-run home run over the left field fence.
Brody Bledsoe’s single to center brought home Jackson Waskis for a third first-inning run, though the Patriots (6-13) got one back in the second on Cooper Kelly’s two-out single to score Ossie Hudson, who had reached on a one-out triple.
Still leading 3-1 in the third, the Bees loaded the bases with no outs, but WPHS starting pitcher Kamden Russell recorded a strikeout and then induced a ground ball to third for a force at the plate and the second out.
However, just as it appeared Russell might escape unscathed, Joey Schnore had other ideas and connected for a bases clearing double that upped his team’s lead to 6-1.
“Our guys had 21 quality at bats and anytime you’re north of 15, you normally come out on the good side,” Price said. “That being said, we have a couple bunting situations we didn’t handle well and some base-running errors. Our guys know they made some mistakes they have to clean up.”
That marked the end of the outing for the left-handed Russell, who was replaced by right-handed reliever Dayton Van Fossen.
The Patriots trailed by five with two outs in the top of the fourth when No. 9 hitter Rylan Moore singled to left to score Nolan Yanchak and prolong the frame.
As it turned out, Moore’s knock meant much more as it was immediately followed by a three-run home run from Kolten Whitmire, who sent a McClain offering over the right field fence.
“We did some good things, and we squared up a lot of balls,” Patriots’ coach Chad Stout said. “But at the end of the season, we’re not looking for moral victories. It’s time to start winning games.”
When Miles Gorby doubled in the next at bat, it marked the end of McClain’s day on the mound, but the Patriots weren’t done yet and got even at 6 when Jaxson Updegraff singled to bring home Gorby.
Braydon Bartsch then doubled to the gap in left-center to score Updegraff and give Park its first lead at 7-6.
But the advantage was short-lived as Waskis smacked a solo home run with one out in the fourth to knot the contest at 7.
After a McClain single and Bledsoe’s base-on-balls, both runners advanced on a wild pitch, setting the stage for McKnight to bunt up the first base line, allowing plenty of time for McClain to score from third.
EFHS failed to add to its lead in the fifth despite having the bases loaded with one out, but left fielder Maddex Dotson tracked down a well-struck fly ball off the bat of Bartsch for the final out in Patriots’ half of the sixth while the visitors had the tying run at first.
“With this group, it takes all 13 of them,” Price said, “and all 13 of them have contributed in some way or another.”
McKnight worked around Brody Grosme’s two-out single in the seventh to finish off the win.
Van Fossen gave WPHS a strong showing in relief despite taking the loss. He allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and one walk over 3.1 innings.
“He mixed it up and hit his spots,” Stout said. “When you don’t hit your spots, that’s what gets you in the deficit, but when you hit those spots, it means something. He threw against a good team and their top five hitters are all pretty darn good. When you don’t hit a spot, they’re going to make you pay.”
Waskis led the Bees with three hits and Linn, McClain and Schnore had two apiece.
Updegraff and Hudson both had three hits, while Gorby added two in defeat.
“Another one-run loss and we’ve had our fair share of those,” Stout said. “We have to figure out a way to win some of those at the end. It comes down to doing some of the little things that maybe you didn’t accomplish and doing some things that could’ve changed your fate.”