GRAFTON, W.Va. — Saturday got off to a less than ideal start for Hampshire when coach Ken Maiers realized he’d forgotten the uniforms for the Trojans’ contest against Class AAA No. 9 Grafton.
Bearcats’ pitcher Grant Murphy then did his part to ensure the vibes didn’t improve much for the visitors in the near future.
Murphy threw a complete game five-hitter with six strikeouts, while the Bearcats struck for two runs in the first inning that proved especially important in their 3-1 win.
“Murphy has been our guy. In the late 90s, they’d call it a Maddux when a guy threw a complete game under whatever it was, maybe 90 pitches, and Murph had another one right around 80,” Bearcats’ coach John Gouzd said. “Last time out he threw a complete game at 78 pitches. He’s efficient, attacking the zone and he’s trusting the defense. He’s been really good for us.”
While GHS (19-6) didn’t have one of its better offensive showings in what’s been a successful season to this point, the Bearcats got off to the exact start they desired at the plate when Carter Gillespie led off with a single and scored on a Cam Gray double.
Gray scored that inning on Greyson Ramezan’s sacrifice fly, though two hits from the team’s first two batters in the lineup represented half of the Bearcats’ hit total.
“It was great to get those first two runs, but I feel like we bang a ball off the wall and hit another in the gap and our guys lit up a little bit and they think everyone is going to do that,” Gouzd said. “We got a little too fly ball happy dropping our back side.”
Both pitchers put up zeroes in the second and third innings, while Murphy continued to have his way in the fourth as he retired the Trojans (13-9) in order.
Grafton added to its advantage when it came to bat in the fourth as Chace Kinsey doubled with one out, took third on a passed ball and crossed the plate when Murphy helped his cause by sending a ground ball to shortstop that produced the second out of the frame and third run of the matchup.
Murphy again prevented HHS from generating a baserunner in the fifth and the Bearcats maintained their three-run lead, before Hampshire began to put together better at bats in the late stages.
“If we do have a weak spot, it is our bats,” Maiers said. “But once we get things going and get things figured out, our game is small ball, put the ball in play and steal bases. It just took us too long. Their pitcher threw really well. His differential in speed between fastball and curve ball was really good and he kept us off balance.”
The Trojans had two in scoring position in the sixth after a two-out single from Channing Wilt was followed by Brayden Hott’s double to left-center.
But Murphy kept his cool and got No. 3 hitter Mason Wolford to hit a grounder to third for the final out, allowing the right-hander to keep the Trojans off the scoreboard through the first six innings.
Wilt, who seemingly got better throughout on the mound throughout his six-inning outing, retired Grafton in order in the sixth to help the Trojans stay within striking distance.
“Maybe he was catching a little too much of the plate early, and once he started locating on the blacks of the plate, that’s when things started going well pitching and defensively for us,” Maiers said.
Hampshire then got its first two runners on in the seventh courtesy of Landon Whitacre’s single and a Wyatt Adams walk — one of two Murphy issued.
After Murphy struck out Mason Slade with two in scoring position for the second out, pinch-hitter Branson Kline prolonged the contest with a single that scored Brent Evans.
That left the Trojans with runners at the corners for Adam Riggleman, but Murphy recorded his sixth strikeout to preserve the victory for his team.
Murphy finishes off complete game with his 6th strikeout while Hampshire had the tying run at first base in Grafton’s 3-1 win against the Trojans. #wvprepbase pic.twitter.com/0I77VxDowp
— Greg Carey (@gcarey938) May 9, 2026
Wilt was efficient in defeat recorded one strikeout without issuing a walk.
The result gives Grafton a ninth victory over its last 10 games.
“We are in a good headspace,” Gouzd said. “We want to see more offensive production, but we beat a good team. We’ll take that and build off of it.”