Post 3 Downed By Barnesville
Defensive mistakes, walks doom Moundsville
Trending
By CODY TOMER
Sports Writer
GLEN DALE -- Moundsville Post 3 manager Tim Koontz made it quite simple in regards to what his squad needed to do better following Monday's 11-7 home loss to Barnesville.
"We had too many errors and too many walks," Koontz said.
Post 3 committed four errors and walked six batters in the loss but did string together nine hits at the dish.
"We started hitting (Monday)," Koontz said. "We're a very young team but we got Zade Billings back (Monday) and he is going to help us a lot in the long run, especially his hitting."
Barnesville suffered from five defensive miscues but smacked 10 hits and took advantage of Post 3's errors.
"Defensively, we were a little sloppy," Barnesville skipper D.J. Butler said. "We did hit the ball well, though, and I thought our pitchers all threw really well. We forced them to throw about 20 extra pitches each but overall a win is a win."
Barnesville's C.J. Hannahs, Duker Castello and Landon Lydick all connected on three straight hits to start the game. Lydick's single was a RBI knock and Colevin Robb followed with a RBI groundout. A wild pitch allowed Lydick to race home for an early 3-0 advantage.
A pair of errors and a passed ball in the second extended the Barnesville lead to 4-0 but Moundsville had an answer in the form of a 3-run second sparked by a pair of Barnesville errors.
Carson Gorby and Zack Conner took advantage with a pair of RBI knocks. Gorby scored from third when Barnesville attempted to get a runner at second to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Two errors, a passed ball and a two-run single off the bat of Robb in the fourth gave Barnesville a four-run frame and an 8-3 upper hand.
Post 3 continued to rally as a RBI single from Daniel Montes and another Barnesville error cut the margin back to 8-7 after five.
However, Barnesville removed all doubt in the sixth as Hannahs, Castello and Lydick all scored from third on passed balls to remove all doubt.
Marshall Meade started and struck out five and walked one for Barnesville, while Cam Carpenter fanned three and walked one and Castello finished with a strikeout and a walk in relief.
"Some of our guys who have graduated are on Senior Week right now but we have three guys from Monroe Central and three guys from Union Local who make up the bulk of our roster," Butler said. "So, we're doing well."
Luke Cramer punched out five and walked three in his start for Moundsville, while Jacob Harr fanned a pair and walked one and Conner tallied five strikeouts and two free passes in relief.