Oak Hill drops Region 3 series to George Washington

oak hill — George Washington coach Mike Davis wanted his players to appreciate the significance of what had just happened.

“I just told them, ‘Don’t take this moment for granted,’” Davis said after the Patriots defeated Oak Hill 12-1 in five innings to complete a two-game sweep of the Class AAA Region 3 championship series. With it comes a trip — and not a long one — to next week’s state tournament at GoMart Ballpark in Charleston.

“It’s 59 years for George Washington and it’s our third time making it to the state tournament, so it’s not something that happens every day. And the second time in three years. I think that’s really important to realize. It might have been a little anticlimactic environment here, but don’t let that moment pass you by. It’s a big moment.”

The Patriots (21-13) scored three unearned runs before breaking it open with a six-run fourth inning that started with No. 9 hitter Alex Wilson lining a double over the left fielder’s head on the first pitch.

Chuck Kelley walked and West Virginia University commit Bryson Hoff reached on a bunt single to load the bases. Abe Fenwick, the GW quarterback also headed to WVU, then grounded to second and the throw to force Hoff was not in time. Wilson scored to make it 4-0.

Eli Smith followed with a two-run single. After a flyout, Fenwick stole third and Smith went to second on the throw. Corbin Dixon then reached on an error, scoring Fenwick easily and sending Smith all the way in from second. Hunter Stewart, running for Dixon, was later thrown out at third on John Fala’s single. Fala took second on the throw and later scored on a single by Cole Ellis.

Oak Hill (18-15) was playing without ace Jayden McLain and second baseman Micah McCarraher, both out on a senior trip.

“We had a couple of bad miscues there. Had a couple of players playing out of position,” Oak Hill coach Chris Hendrick said. “We had a couple members of our family leave us this week. Next man up, I guess, so to speak. I had to put a few young ones out there. We knew what we were going to get tonight.”

“Hats off to Coach Hendrick. We know that they were down a few men tonight, battling it out,” Davis said. “They played hard right down to the end, so hats off to them.”

McLain was penciled in as the starter, but senior left-hander Trent Rider drew the assignment in his absence.

“I thought Trent came out tonight and pounded the zone well,” Hendrick said. “Short notice. Very short notice. He stepped up and did well. Got us a few ground balls (but) we just couldn’t make the plays. It led to big innings.”

Conner Smith, the other senior in the lineup, relieved Rider after he walked Wilson and Kelley back-to-back and gave up a run-scoring single to Hoff to start the fifth. Smith allowed one hit with a strikeout and a walk in his only inning of work, and all three runs were charged to Rider.

The sixth-inning outburst was more than enough for GW starter Ty Nettles, who worked three innings and held the Red Devils to their only two hits and no runs while striking out five and walking one.

Smith took care of the final two innings and pitched around four walks to strike out five.

Oak Hill’s offense shined in the Section 2 tournament, but managed just three runs and five hits in two games against the Patriots.

Freshman Kash Sorrell, playing second in place of McCarraher, singled in the third for Oak Hill’s first hit. Rider followed with a single but those were the only hits the Red Devils had.

“We got some timely hits with guys on base and were able to take some extra bases and make them pay for some mistakes,” Davis said. “That’s what you need to do when you’re playing playoff baseball. I thought we threw the ball well. We’re sending two sophomores out there in a regional final and they were pretty good. I’m just real proud of them tonight.”

Dixon had a two-run single in the fifth as the Patriots set the mercy rule in motion. He reached on an error in his three previous at-bats and drove in three runs.

Smith was 3 for 4 and Fala had two hits and two RBIs.

The Red Devils scored their run after an errant pickoff throw in the fourth.

George Washington will be the No. 4 seed in the state tournament and will face No. 1 Martinsburg next Thursday at 4:30 p.m.