CEREDO – It took two games and two parts of the day for Martinsburg to dispatch Moorefield in the Junior League state baseball tournament on Thursday.
After losing to Moorefield in the morning contest, Martinsburg returned the favor in the afternoon game, winning 15-5 to earn the state title and advance to regional play later this month.
Martinsburg trailed 2-1 after three innings but exploded for 12 runs in the top of the fourth inning to take the lead for good. It sent 18 hitters to the plate, drew eight walks and collected two hits.
Truett Watts started the inning with a walk, then took two bases on a wild pitch and scored when John Jones grounded into a fielder’s choice, tying the game at 2-all. Back-to-back walks to Bera Roberts and Judah Smith loaded the bases, and that was followed by two more consecutive walks to Grayson Arch and Hunter Laign, which scored Jones and Roberts for the 4-2 lead. Izaya Johnson then grounded into a fielder’s choice to score Smith and make it 5-2.
The lead went to 8-2 after Baylor Kovacs and Asher Leatherman were hit by a pitch and Evan Deeds walked, all with the bases loaded, which resulted in three more runs. Watts then singled to left field, and on the same play, an error allowed by Deeds and Kovacs to score and extend the lead to 10-2.
Martinsburg wasn’t done, though, as it added three more runs in the inning. Logan Close was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Leatherman, and Roberts followed with a single to center fielder that resulted in Jones and Watts scoring to push the lead to 13-2.
After Moorefield scored twice in the bottom of the fourth on RBI singles by Keaton Watts and Will see, Martinsburg responded with its final two runs of the game in the top of the fifth. Laign walked to start the inning and later scored on Kovacs’ RBI single, and Johnson stole home for the 15-4 lead.
Deeds, Leatherman, Watts, Roberts and Kovacs each had a hit for Martinsburg, with Deeds, Roberts and Kovacs each driving in two runs. Watts got the win, allowing five runs (three earned) on six hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Dakon Taylor and Eli Kidwell each had two hits and an RBI to lead Moorefield. Jake Baldwin took the loss.
Martinsburg advance the regional tournament, which begins on July 23 in Irmo, South Carolina.
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