HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — No. 1 Huntington St. Joseph’s scored at least one run in five of their six innings at the plate en route to an 11-3 win over No. 8 Trinity in the opening quarterfinal of the Class A state baseball tournament at Marshall University’s Jack Cook Field.
The Irish scored the game’s final 11 runs after spotting the Warriors a pair of runs in the first inning.
“Trinity, they are a good team. It took us a little bit to get started,” said Huntington St. Joseph’s head coach Scott Shumate. “We played pretty good. Our goal was to practice on Monday. We obtained our goal. We are going to practice Monday.”
The 3-4-5 hitters (Cam Kellar, Wyatt Pence and Jacob Courts) for the Irish combined for eight runs, seven hits and five runs batted in. Pence evened the score at 2 in the first inning with a two-run home run and he later added a ground rule double.
“That’s a combination punch. I love to see those guys come up with the bases loaded, nobody on base or one guy on base. They hit the baseball hard.”
Courts went the distance on the hill. He allowed two hits and struck out nine batters. With four days of rest in between games, Courts would be eligible to pitch in the next game for the Irish.
“One he got going, he throws lights out,” Shumate said.
“He was like, ‘Coach, can I finish it?’ And I said, ‘Well, that’s up to you’.”
Huntington St. Joseph’s (32-3) advances to the Class A semifinal round Thursday at 10 a.m. The Irish will face the winner of the second quarterfinal between No. 4 Gilmer County and No. 5 Greater Beckley Christian.
The Irish have previously played regular season games at Jack Cook Field.
“It is a great help because we have actually practiced on this field a couple of times. We don’t have to stay in somebody else’s bed at nighttime. It has been great.”
In their first state tournament appearance, Trinity (13-13) received base hits from Damian Yoho and Ethan Hartley.